Santa Ana College in California conducted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday to formally open its new 63,000 square-foot student center built using $60 million in “Measure Q Bond Funds.”
The new facility will house various student services such as the financial aid office and student success support. The building will also have several campus stores, a health & wellness center, a café, and a student lounge area.
Construction of the multimillion student center began in 2018 following the demolition of the Johnson Student Center.
College spokeswoman Dalilah Davaloz said students are already expressing their excitement to experience the state-of-the-art building when in-person classes recommence this fall.
Santa Ana will host an open house and a campus tour with free gifts and visitors will have the opportunity to speak with faculty and staff regarding the development. The school will also provide financial aid assistance and enrollment assistance during the event.
Prioritizing Student Wellness
In addition to Santa Ana, other colleges in the country have taken steps to prioritize student wellness.
Earlier this month, the University of Memphis opened a $31 million student wellness center featuring state-of-the-art indoor and outdoor sports facilities, including cardio and weight training areas, group fitness studios, and basketball courts.
Cameron University in Oklahoma also received a $2.1 million grant from the US Department of Education to finance a student success center. The facility will provide various resources to assist students in completing their college degrees.
Brown University also announced plans to build a new integrated health and wellness center to provide physical and psychological care to students in 2018. The center will house facilities for counseling and psychological services and emergency medical services.