Curtain rises on new HCC science building
college, she said, after four years spent on design and construction.
“People have been coming in and seeing incremental progress,” she said. “Now, we get to show not only a building with everything in it, but we get to see people using it.”
Countyandstatecapitalfundspaidforthe college’s latest addition. Turner said the previous science and technology building, built in 1987, could not keep up with technological gains in teaching and learning.
New labs and amenities include a digital fabrication and 3-D printing lab, cybersecurity and computer forensics labs, an undergraduate research lab, a greenhouse and a rooftop telescope observation.
Inside the two-story engineering lab space are 40-foot ceilings, a catwalk and a steel cage around the second story, where students can use enhanced technology, a crane and fabrication tools.
“Sometimes, educational buildings are put up without a whole lot of thought to the beauty of it,” Hetherington said. “It’s the function that’s incredibly important, but it has been designed in such a way that really exudes beauty.
“[Architects] worked hand-in-hand with the faculty who use the facility, so without the faculty input I don’t think it would be as dynamic,” she said.
During summer classes, most of the laboratories were used, Turner said, while a few astronomy club events were held on the observation deck. The undergraduate research lab was untouched, but will get plenty of use this fall.
Missy Mattey, the director of development and executive director of HCC’s education foundation, guided guests Monday through the main hallway, where passers-by saw stick-figure images of themselves captured on an interactive monitor on the wall.
Julian Jones said she was excited to explore the building. The 18-year-old student from Marriottsville started taking Howard Community College classes at the Applications Research Lab during her junior year of high school and waived her senior year to go to HCC full-time.
“This new science, engineering and technology building will be such an asset to students like me because we get the hands-on experience to work with new technology and continue to learn,” Jones said.
State Del. Eric D. Ebersole, who represents parts of Howard and Baltimore counties, said the building is what HCC needed to continue expanding opportunities for county education.
“It has always been clear to me how important community college is to serve as a bridge for students to get themselves to further education after their public education or whatever education they have or to a profession,” said Ebersole, who taught in Howard County for 35 years.
Rutherford, a Howard County native, said the new facility will open doors for students’ futures.
“Year after year, the students who pass through this college go on to make remarkable contributions to society," he said. anmichaels@baltsun.com
“People have been coming in and seeing incremental progress,” she said. “Now, we get to show not only a building with everything in it, but we get to see people using it.”
Countyandstatecapitalfundspaidforthe college’s latest addition. Turner said the previous science and technology building, built in 1987, could not keep up with technological gains in teaching and learning.
New labs and amenities include a digital fabrication and 3-D printing lab, cybersecurity and computer forensics labs, an undergraduate research lab, a greenhouse and a rooftop telescope observation.
Inside the two-story engineering lab space are 40-foot ceilings, a catwalk and a steel cage around the second story, where students can use enhanced technology, a crane and fabrication tools.
“Sometimes, educational buildings are put up without a whole lot of thought to the beauty of it,” Hetherington said. “It’s the function that’s incredibly important, but it has been designed in such a way that really exudes beauty.
“[Architects] worked hand-in-hand with the faculty who use the facility, so without the faculty input I don’t think it would be as dynamic,” she said.
During summer classes, most of the laboratories were used, Turner said, while a few astronomy club events were held on the observation deck. The undergraduate research lab was untouched, but will get plenty of use this fall.
Missy Mattey, the director of development and executive director of HCC’s education foundation, guided guests Monday through the main hallway, where passers-by saw stick-figure images of themselves captured on an interactive monitor on the wall.
Julian Jones said she was excited to explore the building. The 18-year-old student from Marriottsville started taking Howard Community College classes at the Applications Research Lab during her junior year of high school and waived her senior year to go to HCC full-time.
“This new science, engineering and technology building will be such an asset to students like me because we get the hands-on experience to work with new technology and continue to learn,” Jones said.
State Del. Eric D. Ebersole, who represents parts of Howard and Baltimore counties, said the building is what HCC needed to continue expanding opportunities for county education.
“It has always been clear to me how important community college is to serve as a bridge for students to get themselves to further education after their public education or whatever education they have or to a profession,” said Ebersole, who taught in Howard County for 35 years.
Rutherford, a Howard County native, said the new facility will open doors for students’ futures.
“Year after year, the students who pass through this college go on to make remarkable contributions to society," he said. anmichaels@baltsun.com
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