ANC Board Approves Construction of Center for Allied Technologies

ANC BOARD APPROVES CONSTRUCTION OF CENTER FOR ALLIED TECHNOLOGIES

Members of the Arkansas Northeastern College Board of Trustees gathered for their regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, April 15, 2015, where they approved the financing plan and construction of the new Center for Allied Technologies. The Board’s action follows commitments made by the ANC Foundation Board of Governors at their Spring meeting on April 9 of $325,000 toward construction and $250,000 toward equipment. The College anticipates an annual cost savings of $100,000 through consolidating the Harry L. Crisp, Aircraft & Metals Engineering (ACME), and Burdette Centers which the new facility will replace.

The proposed facility will be located on the ANC Main Campus just south of the Angela Wren Nursing & Allied Health Building. The new center will feature the headquarters for The Solutions Group, including general purpose classrooms, electrical classroom & lab, mechanical classroom/lab, safety classroom/lab, HVAC classroom & lab, computer classroom, and large multi-purpose room. A world-class welding laboratory will serve secondary, post-secondary, and customized training needs. Also featured will be an aircraft hangar/lab, combination non-destructive testing (NDT) & composites laboratory, and general purpose classrooms to fully accommodate the aviation maintenance program, both secondary and post-secondary. In addition to welding and aviation maintenance, Secondary/Technical Center students from our area high schools also will be served on the Main Campus by classroom & lab facilities for advanced manufacturing, criminal justice, education, and construction/carpentry. Medical professions secondary training will be delivered at the existing Wren building to co-locate with the other allied health professions.

According to ANC President Dr. James Shemwell, the location of the center is strategic in that it represents a plan to rebrand professions, as well as college education for high-demand, well-paying professions, in the minds of young people, parents, teachers, and the general public by locating the facilities where most people associate as “college.” Additionally, the center would be located within walking distance from the Department of Workforce Services, more commonly referred to as the “unemployment office.” Architectural & engineering work, including a comprehensive campus drainage plan, is anticipated to require one year, followed by a two-year construction timetable. The projected grand opening for the new Center is August 2018.

Dever Industrial Maintenance Solutions Pledges $75,000 toward ANC Center for Allied Technologies

Dever Industrial Maintenance Solutions Pledges $75,000 toward ANC Center for Allied Technologies

Arkansas Northeastern College has received another pledge toward its $13 million Center for Allied Technology. Phillip Dever of Dever Industrial Maintenance Solutions has committed $75,000 toward the project which will fund the electrical laboratory in the 85,000 square foot facility.

Dever, a longtime supporter of Arkansas Northeastern College, serves on the ANC Foundation Board and made his gift known at the meeting of the Board last week.

ANC President Dr. James Shemwell said, “Mr. Dever has been an ardent supporter of our College and understands the importance of providing education and training for the area workforce. He volunteers his time and knowledge to Skills USA at the State level and his local insight informs our training strategy here at the College. We greatly appreciate this generous gift and his continued support of Arkansas Northeastern College.”

The new facility to be located on the ANC Main Campus will actually decrease the College’s overall facilities by 30,000 square feet by consolidating the Burdette Center, Harry L. Crisp Center, and the ACME Center—with an estimated costs savings for the College of approximately $100,000 a year in maintenance.  This new facility will feature a headquarters for the College’s customized training force—The Solutions Group, including general purpose classrooms, electrical classroom & lab, mechanical classroom/lab, safety classroom/lab, HVAC classroom & lab, computer classroom, and large multi-purpose room. Additionally, a world-class welding laboratory will be available for students.

Secondary Center students from area high schools also will be served by this facility through classroom & laboratories for advanced manufacturing, welding, criminal justice, education, and construction/carpentry.  The design incorporates a computer lab for the Secondary Center. Also featured is an aircraft hangar/lab, combination non-destructive testing (NDT) & composites laboratory, and general purpose classrooms to fully accommodate ANC’s Federal Aviation Administration—certified Aviation Maintenance Program.

“We have had the strongest workforce training program in the state for a number of years, we are glad to finally see plans for a premier facility on the horizon for these programs,” said Shemwell.

For more information or to contribute to the project, please contact Rachel Gifford, ANC Foundation Executive Director at 870-838-2902.