Michigan Senator Dale Zorn (R-District 17) and Michigan Representatives T.C. Clements (R-District 56) and Joe Bellino (R-District 17) visited Monroe County Community College this week to tour the campus and see first hand the various construction projects that have been recently completed or are in progress on the college's Main Campus on Raisinville Road.
Dr. Kojo Quartey, president of MCCC, led the legislators on the tour that included Founders Hall, the recently renamed joining of the former East and West Technology buildings. The buildings were renovated and expanded into a single, modern facility specifically designed to foster student success. During the tour, Suzanne M. Wetzel, vice president of administration for MCCC, shared with the legislators highlights of the combined facility that now houses numerous support services, state-of-the art classrooms, computer labs and work spaces, an abundance of adaptable student lounge and collaboration spaces, private student group work areas, several college departments and programs, and more. The renovation was funded by Phase 1 of the Maintenance and Improvement Millage and $3.75 million by the state of Michigan.
Dr. Scott Behrens, vice president of enrollment management and student success, shared with the visitors the many opportunities the creation of the Student Success Center, housed in Founders Hall, will provide for students in one state-of-the-art location.
When Zorn, Clements and Bellino visited the Gerald Welch Health Education Building during their tour, Dr. Grace Yackee, vice president of instruction, shared with them the importance of the planned renovations to the facility that houses primarily the nursing and respiratory therapy programs. As the need for professionals in these area grows, so does the need for educational facilities such as those MCCC provides for students. Renovations to the HEB and the Campbell Learning Resources Center are among the projects covered in Phase 2 of the the college's improvement plans, funded in large part by the approval by voters in 2020 of a zero-increase renewal of the Maintenance and Improvement Millage.