Skyline College opened Building 2 to the public during a ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday, May 11.
The building will hold student services such as financial aid, counseling, the Transfer Center, Middle College and the Strategic Partnerships and Workforce Development division. The opening ceremony drew college officials, staff and students for remarks from campus and city leadership.
Nathan Carter, Skyline’s president said, the opening represented more than the completion of a construction project.
“It means that we are ready to help students access higher education, complete in a timely manner, and elevate economically and socially,” Carter said.
Most of the programs entering the building previously were in Building 19 located on the outskirts of campus, there will be a big transition into this space.
Lauren Ford, vice president of student services said that the transition and the shift towards a space more in the center of campus, will have positive benefits on engagement with these programs.
“We used to see a lot of energy, engagement, and involvement in the center of campus, and folks are really looking forward to bringing that energy back,” Ford said.
Students who attended the ceremony also saw the impact of the new building.
Maria “Cherry” Roldan, a psychology major, said the new location would immediately make campus easier to navigate.
“I remember multiple times, in my two years here, people have been asking me where Building 19 is, because it’s just been out of the way,” Roldan said. “So I’m glad that there is more convenience with this building, and how everything is all in one area.”
Roldan also said she enjoyed the building on first impression, noting the interior design.
“My first impression was how nicely lit it is, how well lit it is. The furnishing is very nice, and I love how clearly the areas are indicated, like the labels for where everything is.” Roldan said.
Not all programs have fully moved in yet, with departments are still packing and coordinating, with movement expected at the end of May and throughout June. Full building occupancy is anticipated by July.
The building did have multiple delays, many being tied to safety materials and supply chain issues.
Among the building’s new features are touch-panel directory kiosks on the second floor, allowing students to locate campus resources and check in to appointments. On the third floor, an innovation hub is in development, centered around a Dreamscape Learn virtual reality classroom and a space dedicated to artificial intelligence literacy.
“It will help students in those courses, but more than that, it may spark students who didn’t think STEM, science, VR, or AI was for them,” Carter said.
Roldan said she could see the VR hub being especially useful for students who face barriers to hands-on, in-person learning.
“I think students will benefit in the sense that they can experience things virtually if they cannot experience them in person or in any other way,” Roldan said.
The third floor features five new HyFlex classrooms built to expand the Middle College program. Carter said the program had reached capacity before the renovation, and the additional classrooms will allow it to grow.
“Before this building opened, we were at capacity in the Middle College,” Carter said. “We couldn’t take on more high school students who wanted the benefits of that program. So we invested in expanding Middle College with more HyFlex classrooms on the third floor.”
Carter said the goal is simple: make students feel like the building was made for them.
“When students come in, they say: this is our house, this was made for us,” Carter said.
Departments are expected to finish moving in by July, bringing financial aid, counseling, a veteran resource center and other key student services together in one central location for the first time in years.
