The two-story student union and multipurpose building under construction at the Golden Triangle campus is expected to open later this fall. Once open, the building will provide additional classroom space and amenities for students.

MAYHEW — The opening later this fall of a two-story, 76,000-square-foot student union and multi-purpose building at East Mississippi Community College’s Golden Triangle campus will help alleviate growing pains at the college and provide additional classroom space.

The student union is also expected to become a focal point for students looking to grab a bite to eat, visit with friends or prepare for their next class.

“We are incredibly excited about having this new facility at our Golden Triangle campus,” EMCC President Dr. Thomas Huebner said.

“While all our spaces — classrooms, labs, and even faculty and staff offices — are dedicated to student success, we are particularly excited about opening the doors of a beautiful new building that will add spaces for students to meet, work, eat, lead, reflect and focus. This new building is designed with an understanding of how important it is for students to have a comfortable, state-of-the-art facility in which to learn. “

Additional course offerings

The roughly $16 million building includes 12 multi-purpose classrooms, a large lecture hall and a computer lab with about 100 work stations.

“The computer lab will really open up access for both our traditional and online students so they will have a place to go to research or do classwork,” Vice President of Administration Dr. Paul Miller said. “It will also help us with our testing.”

EMCC Vice President for Instruction and Academics Dr. Thomas Ware said the college will be able to offer more classes once the new building opens. Currently, math and science classes share space in the same building. Ware said plans are to eventually move many of the math courses into the student union.

“This will allow us to expand our science course offerings,” Ware said.

Expanded services

By all accounts, the need for the new student union is great. Decades ago, when the old Aaron Langston Student Center in the Douglas Building opened, enrollment at the Golden Triangle campus was about 350 students. The number of students has grown tenfold since then.

The grill where sandwiches, soups and salads are now served will be replaced with a full-service cafeteria in the new student union. Students and staff will be able to purchase meal plans or, if they prefer, grab a cup of Starbucks coffee and a muffin or sandwich from a separate coffee shop in the building.

Plans also call for a much larger bookstore than the one in use now, with lounge areas and additional retail space for online e-books, laptop computers and tablets.

“We will also have a convenience-type store in the building where students can buy odds and ends and different things,” Miller said.

A place for students

Many of the honors courses will also move into the new student union, which will also include space for art exhibits, which will double as a meeting space for the college’s numerous student organizations. The student union will also include a fitness center and there is even talk of setting up volleyball nets outdoors.

“It is going to be amazing,” Campus Director Cathy Kemp said of the new student union. “Once students have a place where they can spend time on campus, I think they will become more connected to student life and their college years will be enriched.”

Designed by EMCC alumnus Jose Arellano of Pryor & Morrow Architects and Engineers, the building faces a large pond, with floor-to-ceiling glass lining the main exterior wall. Scattered throughout the student union are areas where student can visit or prepare for their next class.

“We want this to be a place where our students can go to meet with other students to work on a project or study and not have to make plans to have to go off-campus somewhere,” Miller said. “We hope it creates an environment where students feel as if they have everything they need to remain comfortably on campus all day.”

Freeing up space

Discussions are ongoing about what will be done with the space made available as administrative offices and some services are moved into the new building. Miller said centralizing classrooms for the Golden Triangle Early College High School will be a priority.

One possibility for the space now occupied by the grill and bookstore area of the Douglas Building is to convert it into a Student Success Center to provide a central location for counselors, tutors and navigators, the latter of whom provide individualized case management for students.

“That is one of the discussions we are having,” Miller said.

Huebner said the new facility will enhance the college’s ability meet current and future needs.

“The additional classrooms, computer labs, and learning spaces will be an asset for us as we work to provide educational opportunities for those in this part of east Mississippi,” Huebner said. “I believe this new facility will be an excellent addition to the outstanding instruction taking place at EMCC and will open doors as we accommodate current enrollment needs and plan for future growth.”