Cloud County Community College will celebrate the grand opening of its Technical Education and Innovation Center on Friday, August 2. The ceremony will begin at 1 p.m. at the Tech Center, 120 East College Drive, Concordia. The public is invited to the ceremony, followed tours of the Center from 1:30-3 p.m.
Ground was broken for the 35,000 square foot Center on March 29, 2023, and construction began in April. The $17 million state-of-the-art facility will house Nursing, Renewable Energy, and Agriculture and Industrial Technology, which includes welding and CDL. Classes will be offered in the Center beginning in the Fall 2024 semester.
“The Center will house critical need, high demand areas of study,” said Cloud President Amber Knoettgen. “And, it will provide the educational setting for our students to explore innovative ideas to advance these industries, which ultimately strengthens the Kansas workforce.”
The project was completely funded through grants, and private and industry donations. Major sources of funding include Salina Regional Health Center, North Central Kansas Medical Center, Cloud County Community College Foundation, Sunderland Foundation, Patterson Family Foundation, Earl Bane Foundation, Carl “Bill” Forshee, Dane G. Hansen Foundation, and Cloud Ceramics.
“The college has strong relationships with our industry partners, which has been instrumental to the success of this project and growing a talent pipeline in Kansas,” Knoettgen said.
The building was designed by TESSERE (formerly GLMV Architecture), and McCownGordon Construction served as general contractor.
After the ribbon cutting, there will be an Orphan Train statue unveiling at 1:30 p.m. The statue will feature two Orphan Train Riders – Thelma Bernhardt and Kenneth “Leroy” Munsell. Bernhardt, who is the grandmother of former Cloud instructor Todd Leif, was a teacher for many years in Nebraska. She was adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Peter Michaely through the New York Foundling Hospital. Munsell was placed out by the New York Children’s Aid Society at the age of three to Mr. and Mrs. Dan Darling in Chanute, Kan. He was a lifelong farmer in the Neosho, Kan., area.
Following the statue unveiling, Cloud staff and faculty will be available to offer tours. Light snacks will be served.
