The mission and values established by Sussex County Community College (SCCC) wholly embody the ideas of innovation, diversity, and affordability. SCCC promotes 21st century pedagogy through the most advanced technological systems and real life learning spaces to best meet the needs of its students, entering the global work force. The expansion of the Academic Center demonstrates SCCC’s commitment to invest in the College’s built environment to remain competitive and attract new students. The recently completed New Academic Center and Maker Space at Sussex County Community College is a turnkey facility for the College as it looks to widen its educational offerings to current and prospective students, and to partner universities throughout the state.
The design of the New Academic Center creates a balance of modern and traditional with space planning and material selection. This new facility includes a lobby, common student area, 4 classrooms, tiered lecture-tech room for 70 students, collaboration/huddle/office spaces, a lounge, and the college’s first Maker Space.
This core space is the heartbeat of the addition and provides a “location for hands-on innovation, experimentation and design.” High and low-tech machinery (3D printers, laser cutters, scanners, robotics, and conventional machine shop equipment) will be available in this unique learning environment that fosters critical thinking on multiple levels to create and invent such things as product prototyping, 3D printing, programming robots, and industrial design Program-based learning in STEM and STEAM will be integrated into the SCCC’s Maker Space.