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College to celebrate new Atkinson Hall completion with ribbon-cutting

William Atkinson Hall, a new, state-of-the-art information and technology center and library is nearing completion at Jackson Community College. College officials will host an official ribbon-cutting ceremony at 4 p.m. Monday, Aug. 13 to celebrate the new facility, to be followed by tours and refreshments.

“This is an exciting time for Jackson Community College,” said Cindy Allen, executive director of community relations and the performing arts. “The technologies in this building and opportunities it offers our students in a student-friendly learning environment, is unmatched by any other college in the state.”

Atkinson Hall has been designed with the needs and wants of today’s students in mind. It houses not only the library but also an open computer lab with 50 computers, as well as 30 laptop computers that may be checked out and used anywhere in the building, which has wireless Internet throughout.

In addition, there are 11 classrooms or “learning studios,” six with laptop computers, four with desktop computers and one with Apple computers for the graphic design program. One room has projectors to show videos, multimedia presentations or multiple Internet sites. Classrooms have the advanced “Wall Talker” dry erase wallpaper on almost every wall. Breakout rooms for group study are scattered throughout the building, all equipped with high-speed Internet access and LCD television screens.

The second floor houses a collaboratorium, a triangle-shaped room on the second floor for meetings or classes that overlooks the library and a view outside toward the College’s flag pole display and Emmons Road. The room will have an acorn-shaped table with six 58-inch plasma televisions. It will be used for video conferencing for distance-learning courses with the Hillsdale and Adrian campuses. A coffee café and an outdoor learning garden to study in will complement the other learning spaces. The building will also house offices for campus information technology personnel and Computer Information Services faculty.