Victoria College hosted a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday afternoon to officially begin construction on the new Student Success Center.
The three-story expansion and renovation of the existing Student Center will provide students with resources – including a library, admissions, advising, financial aid, testing, veteran services, and tutoring – in one, central campus location. The building is projected to be completed in 2025, coinciding with VC’s 100th anniversary.
“We have spent many hours going over plans, budgets, and cost-saving measures to get to this point,” said VC Board of Trustees Chair Bland Proctor. “It has been a long time coming, but it is finally time to build the Student Success Center. We're building more than a physical structure; we’re building a foundation for future generations and fostering an environment where all students can thrive.”
The ceremony was attended by VC students, employees, contractors, and community leaders.
Attendees wrote messages of encouragement to future students on cards that will be digitally archived and then placed at the foundation of the building before the concrete is poured.
“We are so excited to begin construction on the Student Success Center and appreciate all who came and celebrated with us,” said Dr. Jennifer Kent, VC President. “We look forward to compiling everyone’s inspiring messages and placing them at the foundation of the new building as a tribute to the community for making this project possible, as well as the future students whose lives will be changed at Victoria College.”
The facility is being funded primarily through grants, gifts and institutional funds along with a $10 million bond, approved by Victoria County voters last May, which will fund approximately 24 percent of the project.
“This is truly an exciting day for Victoria College students, not just because we are breaking ground on a new building, but because we are constructing a space that will be at the heart of our college experience,” said VC Student Government Association Historian Esparanza Espinoza.