Students taking classes in the engineering and Durrett Hall buildings will benefit starting next semester from the renovations being completed.
During the Nov. 25 board of regents meeting, the regents approved the acquisition of technology enhancement and electronics to improve the classroom experience in those buildings.
“I’m very excited,” said Dr. Kathy Wetzel, dean of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. “We’ve never had a place to do our work before.”
Among the new additions to the buildings are a workshop room, a “project room”, new classrooms, 3D printers and state-of-the-art technology.
The board also approved the purchase of furniture to equip the Engineering Center.
The additions are expected to improve the quality of learning for students.
“The students had to do their projects at home; now they can do their projects here,” said Wetzel, “We have tools for them to use.”
From furnishing the Engineering Center to building new classrooms, the anticipated cost of the renovation is about $320,000.
Cara Crowley, the president’s chief of staff, explained that Amarillo College received grant money from the Hispanic Serving Institution and was able to renovate the buildings.
She said she thinks the renovations will benefit the students the most.
“It’s really going to use technology to help, particularly, engineering students learn today’s technology they would use in the engineering field,” Crowley said.
Another topic mentioned in the meeting was the approval to purchase 250 classroom attendance scanning systems.
The devices will be used on the Washington Street Campus as well as the Moore County Campus.
Thirty of the devices already have been installed, and the college’s plan is to have one in each classroom to reinforce the importance of attendance in a student’s equation to success.
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