Rift Valley College,
as the institution was formerly known, became operational in October
2000 in Adama Town with a total number of 154 evening program
students and five part time faculty staff. Many of the teachers were
the founders of the College. This new "learning community"
was housed in just one rented block that consisted of a single
administrative office and a few classrooms. The Assela campus was
created two months later with Accounting, Law and Marketing
Management being the fields of study. By the end of the year 2000,
the total enrolment at the two campuses was about 250 students in the
five diploma programs of study.
Ato Dinku Deyasa, a renowned investor in Oromia and owner of NFYD PLC,and Ato Reta Bekele (once a president at Jimma and Adama legal courts), Dr. Haileleul Zeleke and Ato Frezewd Lemma from Adama University and Ato Mulugeta Debebe (a management professional) envisaged the necessity of founding a private higher education institution mainly aimed at curbing the country's dearth of qualified human resources. A labor market survey was carried out to identify the fields of study most wanted by the community in and around Adama and Assela towns. On the basis of the findings, the founders made all the necessary preparations that would enable them to begin offering courses at diploma level in five fields of study namely: Accounting, Computer Science, Law, Marketing Management, and Secretarial Science and Office Management.