As the 2023 fall semester marches along, several colleges across the state of Georgia are celebrating big grants and starting construction on new projects, according to an Oct. 16 report in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Trio of New Buildings Planned at Clark Atlanta University
The board of trustees of Clark Atlanta University has unveiled plans for three new buildings on its campus. The board approved plans to build a new freshman residence hall, a second dining hall and a student success center, the school announced in a recent news release.
The residence hall will be the first of its kind on the historically Black university's campus (HBCU) since the 1996 construction of Brawley Hall for the Atlanta Olympic Games. When finished, the new dormitory will accommodate 400 students.
Clark Atlanta will use a combination of debt financing and contributions from a food service vendor to finance the projects.
"Today's decision by Clark Atlanta University's Board is a testament to our unwavering commitment to our scholars' success," George T. French Jr., the university's president, said in a statement. "It is a direct response to the increasing enrollment and the need for on-campus student housing."
Clark Atlanta noted that it will release details about the timeline for the residence hall's construction at a later date.
University of North Georgia Building New Facility
The University of North Georgia (UNG) in Dahlonega has begun construction of its Wynne-Mathews Military Science Center following a Sept. 23 groundbreaking ceremony.
The two-story, 22,500-sq.-ft. center will provide computer labs, offices and classrooms to teach 1,000 members of the school's Corps of Cadets. It is expected to open by fall 2025 and is funded with a combination of state dollars and private donations.
The center's name recognizes the contributions of Bob Mathews, a 1971 UNG graduate who served six years in the United States Army and is a member of the inaugural class of the Army ROTC Hall of Fame. He recently retired as president and CEO of Colliers International/Atlanta, where he held leadership positions since 1993, including serving as CEO from 2004 until his retirement.
In addition to his transformational gift to this new facility for the Corps of Cadets, Mathews has created a significant endowed scholarship in honor of his late wife, Mary Joan Wynne Mathews.
Additional Freshman Housing Planned for Kennesaw State
A 600-bed residence hall for first-year students is coming to Kennesaw State University's campus in Kennesaw. The Georgia Board of Regents approved the $50 million project, expected to be completed by fall 2026.
The Journal-Constitution said the new housing complex will bring the college's total number of beds to more than 6,500 across its Kennesaw and Marietta campuses.
New Aviation Training Academy Going Up
In Paulding County, the Chattahoochee Technical College Aviation Training Academy is under construction at the Paulding Northwest Atlanta Airport, where work to build a hangar, labs, classrooms, and other space is set to be finished by December.
Ahead of its completion, the academy is accepting students for the spring semester for three aviation programs. The school is offering an aircraft structural technology diploma as well as technical certificates as an avionics bench technician, which includes working on aircraft electronics, and in aircraft upholstery and trim. Efforts are under way to get approvals for additional programs.
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