Modesto Junior College invites the public to a Groundbreaking Ceremony that will celebrate the beginning of construction for the Science Community Center and Great Valley Museum at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, May 5. The building site is located west of Sierra Hall on MJC’s West Campus, 2201 Blue Gum Avenue in Modesto.
The ceremony will include remarks by MJC Interim President Ken White, Yosemite Community College District Chancellor Roe Darnell, and Professor Ken Meidl as chairperson of the project’s steering committee. Also participating will be the President of the Great Valley Museum Foundation Roger Gohring, Professor Emeritus Bill Luebke and Dean of Science, Mathematics and Engineering Brian Sanders. Refreshments will be provided following the brief ceremony.
The $70,000,000 facility will include 109,000 square feet of science classrooms, laboratories, a planetarium and the Great Valley museum exhibits. The project architect is Lionakis, the contractor is Brown Construction and completion is projected for fall of 2012.
The project will provide much needed additional instructional and lab space for MJC’s popular anatomy, biology, chemistry, microbiology, and physiology programs. The project will also house classrooms and labs for geology, earth science, botany, zoology, physics and astronomy, with a planetarium and observatory. The Science, Mathematics and Engineering Division (SME) Office, lab preparation rooms, lecture halls, “smart” classrooms and faculty offices will also be housed in the new building. The Great Valley Museum will have natural history exhibits, a lecture room, museum store, and outdoor exhibits.
“Our goal is for the MJC Science Community Center to become the go-to destination for science education in our region,” said Brian Sanders, Dean of SME. “The Center will serve as an instructional facility for our students, while also meeting the growing need for science education and science literacy in our community. This facility will provide for the growth in demand for our own science classes, promote new partnerships within the local educational community, and provide a destination for families seeking a low-cost science experience in our community.”
The new facility is being constructed with funds from Measure E, the $326 million bond measure approved by voters in November 2004. Questions can be directed to the Yosemite Community College District Facilities Office at (209) 575-6512, or Kitchell Corporation at 575-6991.
