Renovations are complete on the building formerly referred to as the Administration/Classroom Building and the grand opening of the new Borra Learning Center is scheduled for August 19.
The grand opening of North Central Michigan College's Borra Learning Center, set for August 19, will feature an ice cream social and public tours of the renovated and renamed facility, as explained in a news release from NCMC. Attendees will be eligible to win a variety of prizes including gift cards and gift baskets from local businesses. Funding for the renovation project came from the State of Michigan and private donors, including a $25,000 grant from the Consumers Energy Foundation. The renovation project includes a student commons featuring floor-to-ceiling windows and seven high-tech classrooms, along with an area at the front of the building designed to connect students more readily to support services.
In the release announcing the open house, NCMC President David Roland Finley spoke about the history of the building and how the renovations will impact the future of students on campus. "Since the building opened in 1967, thousands of students have passed through its doors on their way to an associate degree and the next step of their career or college journey. Now the Borra Learning Center is beautifully equipped to better prepare future generations of students for success in a technology-driven world," Finley said.
The learning center, named for donors Pier C. and Renee A. Borra, is one part of a nearly $10 million project called Building Tomorrow Together which aims to provide easy access to student support services, increase STEM learning capacity, and add scholarship opportunities. Executive Director of NCMC, Chelsea Platte, emphasized the impact on the community surrounding the college, "We are providing our neighbors with access to training and experiences that will help them build their careers and thrive as creative thinkers, problem-solvers, and entrepreneurs. Working together as a community, we're unlocking individual potential while increasing our region's economic resilience."
Another source of funding for the Building Tomorrow Together campaign comes from the Consumers Energy Foundation, which donated $25,000. In a separate news release announcing the donation from Consumers, President Finley explained how the money will impact the project. "This generous gift from the Consumers Energy Foundation will provide North Central graduates with the tools to not only keep pace with the demands of a dynamic, interconnected global economy, but to lead the way. Together, we're shaping the future of higher education in Northern Michigan," Finley stated.