Beyond the Classroom
Community Colleges: Preparing for the Future
According to the American Association of Community Colleges, community colleges serve close to half of the undergraduate students in the U.S. Unlike more traditional four-year institutions, community colleges must cater not only to the conventional undergraduate student, but also to a historically older, non-traditional student population. With the current economic climate and an expected increase in high school graduation rates, community colleges must be prepared for an increase in enrollment. Fiscal restraints will likely prompt more high school graduates to look to two-year programs as they begin their education, while adults may look to return to school to develop more marketable skills. As a result of increased enrollment, many community colleges are facing maximum occupancy levels and lack the necessary facilities to keep up with student needs and demands.
Community colleges also play an important role in their surrounding communities. In addition to serving the academic community, they must also accommodate the non-student community, serving as a cultural center and training resource for local businesses, community members, and school districts. As an economic catalyst, community colleges contribute to the local economy by providing a highly skilled workforce.
Planners once speculated that the need for campuses, and especially community college campuses, would diminish due to the increased use of technology, as educational opportunities became available via the internet. However, it is becoming clear that the opposite is true. As the flow of information increases globally and the rate of change increases in our daily lives, our need for social interaction becomes greater. A community college must meet both the educational and social needs of its students, providing a mix of services that offers “one-stop shopping.”
• Educational Services — academic spaces that incorporate high-tech, multimedia sources and cater to various instructional methodologies.
• Student Services — convenient and easy access to administrative-related tasks including admissions, registration, and financial aid.
• Social Services — convenient and easy access to affordable childcare, retail outlets, and food service facilities, and opportunities for interaction among peers, faculty, and staff.
Burt Hill is working with our community college clients to help them meet the challenges and demands of today’s students by creating stimulating learning environments that promote interactive learning and critical thinking for both the traditional and non-traditional student. By investing in new technology and improved facilities, community colleges can provide the tools their students need to succeed in and out of the classroom.
A Commitment to the Community
Delaware County Community College (DCCC) in Media, Pennsylvania, is forging a strong relationship with local businesses, connecting students with industry-specific training and opportunities to match labor market needs. Working with business and industry partners such as Sunoco, Boeing, and Pennsylvania Machine Works, DCCC offers customized training in applied engineering technology both in the classroom and on the job. A new Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) complex designed by Burt Hill reinforces the college’s commitment to enhancing scientific mastery among the local workforce. With flexible classrooms and laboratories reflecting the latest scientific and technological advances, the new facility will better support vocational training and help develop a superior workforce for area businesses.
The complex is designed to support modern educational trends such as small-group collaboration, hands-on learning, the use of multimedia tools, smaller class sizes, and multidisciplinary approaches, while remaining flexible enough to respond to future pedagogical innovations. By placing campus-wide resources such as a fitness center, computer technology center, lecture hall, and café on the first floor, the design creates a new “front door” for the campus. The tiered lecture hall with advanced multimedia capabilities and pre-function space will be open to all DCCC departments, as well as local businesses, enabling the college to become more engaged with the local community.
Learning in the Lab
To create an interactive learning environment for science education, Tidewater Community College (TCC) commissioned Burt Hill to design a science building that responded to an increasing demand for classes in biology, chemistry, geophysical sciences, physics, and astronomy.
Classrooms are supplemented by laboratory and preparatory rooms, in addition to a 90-seat planetarium and an observatory. The planetarium features a high-tech laser projection system that is one of only 11 installed worldwide. An outdoor “living laboratory” features practical exhibits of biological and geological specimens, including a rain garden, on display for student study. The oceanography lab houses a 30-foot wave tank, while the anatomy and physiology labs include cadaver storage.
By providing access to state-of-the-art technology and hands-on learning experiences, TCC hopes to draw more students into the science disciplines, feeding industry demand for professionals in these fields.
Catering to Students
To keep up with changing student and community needs, Cincinnati State Technical and Community College needed a new facility to support two fast-growing industries that have a significant impact in the region — culinary arts and information technology. Fulfilling a diverse set of needs, The Advanced Technology and Learning Center serves as home to the culinary arts program and a state-of-the-art information technology facility, and also houses the college’s first student life center. The 216,000-square-foot building also includes audio / visual production facilities.
Students can take advantage of over 78,000 square feet of support space, including lounge and breakout areas dispersed throughout the building. Office areas for various student life organizations and groups and a student life center provide a much needed “home base” for students.
The culinary arts program facilities include fully equipped instructional kitchens; ‘garde manger’ kitchens for cold food preparation; a pastry kitchen; baking kitchen; decorating lab; temperature controlled butchery and fish mongery; demonstration theater; retail bakery outlet; and a student run restaurant and adjoining bar. The case method learning environment offers students real-life experiences to help them acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in their careers.
The design also incorporates sustainable features including heat recovery, heat-efficient lighting, and daylighting. This project was completed in association with SFA Architects.
Designing for the Future
Our work with these community colleges, in addition to many others, has positioned us to help lead our clients into the future. Community colleges nationwide are realizing the importance of evolving their campuses and classrooms in response to the growing demand for technologically proficient graduates and in light of the current economic crisis. Students will be seeking out more cost-effective undergraduate options, turning to many local community colleges to start and continue their education. As designers, we have a passion for and a commitment to creating learning environments that support these institutions and their students, resulting in lasting experiences and knowledge that will serve them well into the future.
