UA Wayne College Celebrates Project Completion
Ribbon cut for renovated science labs, new road and digital entrance signs
A ribbon cutting ceremony was held on Sept. 25 at The University of Akron Wayne College to celebrate the completion of two campus construction projects as well as the College’s Founders Day.
During opening comments in the Student Life Building, Dan Deckler, interim dean, honored the founders of the college, giving special recognition to founder Norma Amstutz who passed away earlier this year. Additionally, Deckler announced Dr. H. Reid and Susan Smucker Wagstaff had made a gift to the College of $500,000 to be used for student scholarships. He said the Wagstaffs wanted to make the gift during the tenure of President Luis Proenza as a way of honoring his leadership of the University of Akron.
The state-of-the-art renovations and improvements will meet the needs of a growing student population in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and math and contribute to the development of green spaces that serve to preserve and enhance the unique character of the campus. The latest technology is now available on the Orrville campus to prepare today’s students for tomorrow’s careers. Funding came from the College’s reserve funds and state appropriation funds dedicated to capital improvements.
The two ambitious projects were started in early spring and opened in time for the beginning of fall semester in August. The first is a long anticipated second entry to campus off of Back Massillon Road that measures over a half a mile long. The $1.6 million project includes a community walking path lit by 25 low voltage street lights and 36 additional parking spaces next to the Student Life Building, 12 of which are handicap-accessible. The new road provides an additional egress from campus in case of emergency and the adjacent walking path provides a safe and convenient area for the community to get some exercise. It also provides the necessary infrastructure required for any future campus expansion.
According to Ted Curtis, vice president of capital planning and facilities management at The University of Akron, “The goals for this project were to create a new entrance that would take into account the needs of a growing campus and serve its purpose while allowing the natural setting to remain a focal point.”
The capstone of the road project is two new digital signs at both entrances to campus which post electronic messages about registration opportunities and community events. The signs were made possible through the generosity of the Laura B. Frick Charitable Trust – PNC Bank Trustee and the John Kaylor Memorial Fund, a component of the Wayne County Community Foundation.
The second project is a $1.1 million renovation of three science labs with state-of-the-art equipment that incorporates the latest technology for anatomy, physiology, chemistry, and biology students. The labs were original to the College’s Main Classroom Building, which opened in 1972, and were not designed to incorporate computer technology in the classroom.
Safety and technology were major themes in the upgrade to the nearly 4,600 sq. ft. of space which now provides greater usability and collaborative learning opportunities. Each of the three separate areas is designed to be a smart classroom with computers and projection technology that enable faculty to integrate lecture and lab together for optimal learning. The areas were also upgraded to include improved storage capacity, more sinks, and improved administrative and faculty space.
The physics lab was designed with the flexibility to accommodate lecture and problem solving sessions. The area provides space for 25 students compared to 18 previously and includes additional storage that allows a greater amount of equipment to be available and a new prep area for streamlining lab setup.
In the biology lab, work spaces were improved for size and efficiency to accommodate up to 34 students. The improved design facilitates group activities and provides collaborative opportunities for students. Upgrades to the area also include the incorporation of 30 new state of the art microscopes made possible through private donations.
The chemistry lab can accommodate up to 32 students and was renovated to incorporate new and proper instrumentation in the area including two new refractometers, three new analytical balances, 10 fume hoods including a demonstration hood, and a new vacuum system. The improved usability of the space enables greater collaboration among students and allows for better experiment analysis, which in turn provides an enhanced learning opportunity.
Wayne College is a regional branch campus of The University of Akron and is located at 1901 Smucker Road, Orrville.