MONROE, Mich. – Monroe County Community College will host an open house for community members to view the new addition to the Life Sciences Building on April 30 at 5:30 p.m., followed by a State of the College address at 6 p.m.
Both events, which are open to the public, will be held in the addition, which houses a student collaboration space and opened during Fall Semester. The entrance to the addition is located on the west side of the building.
The approximately 2,500-square-foot expansion filled a need in the Life Sciences Building for adequate, modern space outside the classroom for students to work both collaboratively and independently.
The space includes permanent seating areas and team work rooms where students can gather, complete with flexible furniture, ample technology, acoustics and lighting designed with collaboration in mind, a vending area and more.
The addition was part of a $1.25-million upgrade to the Life Sciences Building that also included major exterior structural repairs to prevent the eventual failure of connecting masonry ribs. Fifty masonry panels were removed, each weighing approximately 8,000 pounds. The masonry panels were designed to provide shade from the sun; they were replaced with a modern exterior facade system that more effectively serves this purpose.
The project was funded by the 5-Year Maintenance and Improvement Millage passed by Monroe County voters that is being used for critical maintenance and renovation projects to protect the community’s more than 50-year investment in the college’s buildings and infrastructure.
Also planned for the Life Sciences Building are renovations to enhance safety and security, improve accessibility for people with disabilities and update technology network infrastructure.
The theme of Quartey’s State of the College address will be "Innovations and Renovations." He will update the community on the status of projects that are part of the 5-year Maintenance and Improvement Millage, including the renovation to the East and West Technology buildings. Ground will formally be broken on that project in early May. The two buildings will be combined into one to house numerous services geared toward student success, state-of-the art classrooms and computer labs, an abundance of adaptable student lounge areas and work spaces, and several college departments.
Quartey will also discuss other innovative programs at MCCC, including the new drone technology noncredit program and honors program, as well as a formalized internship/co-op program that is being planned.