South Campus Hosts Open House To Celebrate New Addition
VGCC celebrated the new addition to its South Campus with an Open House for the public on Tuesday, Oct. 26.
Unlike many building projects, the 7,940-square-foot addition to the campus was actually completed ahead of schedule, and Fall Semester classes began in it Aug. 23. Cost of the addition was $851,510, of which half was allocated by Granville County and the rest came from state funds. An additional $144,000 was allocated by Granville County for the project also.
Construction of the addition comes 11 years after the opening of the South Campus. The original building consisted of 19,360 square feet and was dedicated Oct. 21, 1988, to former N.C. Representative William T. “Billy” Watkins of Granville County, who was instrumental in obtaining state funds for its construction.
The South Branch of the Granville County Library is also located in the original South Campus building.
The Cosmetology program has moved from the original building into larger spaces in the addition. The new addition also houses an Emergency Medical Training/Nursing Assistant classroom and a computer lab for Occupational Extension.
The original South Campus spaces were also renovated as part of the construction project, and they include additional classrooms and a new, expanded science lab, which will be used for Radiography and biology classes and in the Human Services program scheduled to begin in Spring Semester 2000.
South Campus now has four different computer labs – one for Information Systems and one for Office Systems Technology curriculum classes, a section for the Occupational Extension program, and a fourth for students who need access to computers for other VGCC classes.
In addition to curriculum courses leading to associate degrees or diplomas, numerous occupational extension courses are conducted at South Campus. These include Public Services courses such as Emergency Medical Technician, CPR and first aid, and firefighting, as well as Industry Services and Economic Development Services classes in electricity and electronics, employee safety and health, and leadership.
A large literacy program is conducted at South Campus, including adult high school education classes and GED testing, which help those who dropped out of school get their high school diplomas. Also, personal enrichment classes such as art and floral design help Granville County citizens enjoy a better quality of life.
Dot Puckett is coordinator of the South Campus, and she has a faculty and staff of 15 at the facility. In addition, faculty members from the college’s Main Campus travel to South Campus to conduct classes.
VGCC President Robert A. Miller is understandably proud of the new facility. “The college is most appreciative of the Granville County Board of Commissioners and area members of the N.C. General Assembly for their efforts to appropriate the funds that made this facility a reality,” said Miller.
