October 10, 2024 – Community members and Clovis Community College (CCC) staff celebrated a significant milestone in the future for students on the morning of October 9, 2024.
Cars filled up the parking lot from all sides as golf carts whizzed around to the entrance of CCC’s new Applied Technology or “AC3” building, a modernized, chic space that hosted a large group of Clovis and Fresno people alike for their Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.
The 68,500 square foot-long building loomed large over these individuals as they were welcomed to the ceremony, accompanied by the sounds of the MUS-23 Global Drumming Ensemble, led by Music Instructor Tony Gennaro, who played light music in the background.
A host of Student Activities workers from CCC greeted them, offering swag from the college such as stickers and keychains, as well as their Annual Report displaying the accomplishments of the college.
They also offered light refreshments while conversation filled the outdoor space, various community representatives conversing with one another before the ceremony began.
Some of these community representatives included people from the Clovis Chamber of Commerce, State Center Community College District (SCCCD) staff, Fresno Unified School District staff, and individuals from local government offices.
Dr. Monica Chahal, the Interim President of CCC, made her introductions before the event began, enthusiastically speaking about how excited she was for the opening of the building.
She explained that the construction of AC3 was done thanks to Measure C, a 2016 bond measure that allowed funding towards SCCCD for projects such as the facility.
“Measure C, which was passed in 2016, is what funded this building, and going back to 2016 and all the planning leading up until the breaking ground, [it’s] been years in the making,” she stated.
When the event began, Dr. Chahal welcomed the multitude of people from the community, introducing the ensemble, the speaker for the Pledge of Allegiance, and a CCC vocalist student who sang the national anthem.
Dr. Chahal spoke boldly into the microphone about the significant impact this building would have on student’s academic performance, stating, “This new Applied Technology Building will provide access to our current and future students, and open doors for our students to pursue careers and grow their dreams.”
She also thanked a number of individuals during her speech, such as Darden Architects who designed the building, as well as faculty, staff, and administrators at CCC.
“All of you have done the foundational work that we needed to be able to get here today and we could not be more grateful for all of your efforts,” Dr. Chahal passionately stated.
Her remarks introduced a wave of other individuals that also expressed excitement for the building and gratitude for those that had a hand in it. A variety of staff from CCC and SCCCD made their way to the podium that stood before the crowd, showcasing the hands that went into this significant project.
Dr. Carole Goldsmith, the Chancellor of SCCCD, stated, “I hope you have an opportunity to take a tour of this amazing facility. You know, within these spaces, well, this building is gorgeous, and the labs are phenomenal, and the music lab is state-of-the-art. You’ll see technology in action.”
This indeed seemed to be the case as many attendees toured the building after the event was over, viewing a commercial music recording studio with Max Hembd, the Academic Senate President and a Music Instructor at CCC.
Hembd gave a tour of the studio, explaining, “Having been raised in Clovis, I felt that to be successful, I had to leave and to get to LA. And then when I moved home from LA, I felt that that represented some sort of failure and in fact, what we’re doing with this particular building and with all our programs at [CCC], I firmly believe that it’s been better here.”
Walking around, this sentiment is conveyed through the interactions between the students. In the main shared space in front of the building, attendees conversed with one another, students solved math problems together in an enclosed glass room, others walked to and from class, and some just enjoyed the comfortable seating available.
“I think that it’ll definitely allow them to, since it’s our career technical building, [allow] students to go ahead and have more of a hands-on experience and be able to go and apply that to the work field,” said Siena Flores, a Senior Program Specialist and student at CCC.
Students are sure to enjoy the advanced technology and additional space that can be found in this new building, and CCC is looking forward to a brighter future with the programs and space this facility has to offer.