August 13th, 2020 by WCBC Radio
Western Maryland’s three institutions of higher education are jointly hosting an event highlighting the state and local support they have received for new capital projects on each campus.
The three-part event will take place on Friday, August 28th, starting at Garrett College, which will host a 9 a.m. groundbreaking ceremony for its Community Education and Performing Arts Center. Frostburg State University will celebrate the groundbreaking for its Education and Health Sciences Building at 11:30 a.m. Allegany College of Maryland will follow at 3 p.m. by hosting a Western Maryland Corrections Institute (WCI) Training Center Construction Site Visit and Progress Update.
“Garrett, Frostburg and ACM work collaboratively on a wide range of initiatives,” said Dr. Richard Midcap, GC’s president. “This joint event is just the latest example of the way our institutions work together for the benefit of the community.”
“All three institutions benefit greatly from strong state and local capital support,” noted Dr. Ronald Nowaczyk, FSU’s president. “These projects would not have been possible without that ongoing support.”
“Everyone benefits when institutions of higher education work together. Western Maryland is fortunate to have three institutions of higher education that work well together,” observed Dr. Cynthia Bambara, ACM’s president. “As presidents, Dr. Midcap, Dr. Nowaczyk and I meet regularly to discuss common challenges and partnership opportunities to better our region.”
The CEPAC will provide Garrett County – currently the only Maryland community college without a performing arts center – with a centrally located, community-focused facility. The project is a five-entity initiative with Garrett College, the Garrett Lakes Arts Festival, Garrett County Public Schools, the Garrett County Arts Council and Garrett County Government all serving as founding partners.
FSU’s Education and Health Sciences Building, an $80 million project expected to open for fall 2022, will house programs in the College of Education and health professions. It will provide technologically based classrooms and state-of-the-art learning environments for teachers, educators, nurses, health professionals, and the growing fields of exercise and sport science and athletic training.
Funded through the State of Maryland and Allegany County, ACM is constructing a 9,700 square foot Western Correctional Institution Adaptive Community and Workforce Training Facility. Adjacent to the College’s Center for Continuing Education building, the new building will allow for the expansion of training and academies and courses for regional correctional officers and community members.
Construction will be completed by November 2020. The state-of-the-art building will house dedicated space for corrections training (a classroom, mat room, computer room, firearms classroom with bullpen, and two offices), an incident Command Center, and two ACM workforce development classrooms.
More than 2,500 community members will participate in trainings and courses within the new facility. The WCI Adaptive Community and Workforce Training Facility will also serve as a Command Center for North Branch Correctional Institution in the event of an emergency.
All three events are open to the public and will emphasize the use of face coverings and social distancing to mitigate the potential spread of COVID-19.
The most up-to-date information on each institution’s response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), can be found online:
Garrett College – https://www.garrettcollege.edu/corona-virus.php
Allegany College of Maryland – https://www.allegany.edu/coronavirus
Frostburg State University – https://www.frostburg.edu/COVID-19
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