CGCC Coyote Center will fill many campus needs

Students Briana Bricher and Kolton Orcutt alongwith CGCC
 and MCCCD representatives are the first to break ground on
 the new multi-use Coyote Center building.

It may take a village to raise a child, but it also takes a community to raise a building. This was the sentiment expressed by Linda Lujan, president of Chandler-Gilbert Community College, at the Coyote Center groundbreaking on the Pecos campus on March 22.

Lujan was referring not only to the many individuals and companies essential to the building’s design and construction but to the surrounding community’s backing of the construction of the building through their approval of the 2004 bond measure, which covers $28.6 million of the projected $30.8 million budget.

The new 74,859-square-foot facility is among only a few in the nation to blend athletics and academics with enrollment and student services, contributing to the success of every student attending the campus.

On the athletic side, the space will house the athletic offices, a gym with spectator seating, locker rooms, study rooms, storage facilities and a fitness center. Currently, student athletes of the nine sports programs at CGCC must travel 11 miles to the Williams campus to use the gym.

Briana Bricher, a sophomore guard on the women’s basketball team, spoke at the event. “As a college athlete, my teammates and I develop impeccable time-management skills, because our 13-hour day is booked back-to-back with practice, class and study hall. We get only 30 minutes to eat lunch and drive from the Pecos to the Williams campus for practice,” said Bricher. “The new gym will make it easier to be on time and will offer teams a chance to shower after practice, study together, and easily stop by the athletics office, when needed.”

Kolton Orcutt, president of the Associated Students of CGCC, spoke about the benefits the mixed-use facility will offer to students such as increased efficiency with all the student services such as recruitment, advising, enrollment, registration, financial aid and career services located in one building.

“The Coyote Center will be a one-stop shop for new students instead of the current multi-location registration experience,” said Orcutt. “It will also better represent our campus community for first-time visitors, modeling an open, welcoming atmosphere and a modern, integrated approach to education.”

Representatives of the three cities the college serves (Chandler, Gilbert and Queen Creek) attended the event as well as members of the governing board of the Maricopa County Community Colleges District (MCCCD) who approved the construction of the building.

Maria Harper-Marinick, vice chancellor and provost of MCCCD, thanked the governing board for their vote and the community for their trust in MCCCD to fill the educational needs of local residents.  She also spoke of the history of CGCC as a student-centered college when she first visited in 1991.

“This college knew then that our business is teaching and learning,” said Harper-Marinick. “The Coyote Center is evidence of this ongoing commitment to ensuring students succeed.”

The building is targeted for completion in June 2014. Learn more at cgc.edu/coyotecenter.