Bringing art and tech together
Iowa Central debuts new learning facility
- Messenger photo by Bill Shea <BR> Jennifer Dutcher, center, an assistant professor of humanities and art coordinator at Iowa Central Community College, prepares to snip the ribbon to officially open the college's new Art and Technology Building. Mary Ludwig, the college's vice president of development and alumni relations, is on her right. They are joined by, from right, Shelly Bootorff, executive director of the Fort Dodge Fine Arts Association; Stacy Mentzer, the college's vice president of instruction; and college President Jesse Ulrich.
- Messenger photo by Bill Shea <BR> People check out the arts and ceramics classroom Tuesday afternoon in the Art and Technology Building at Iowa Central Community College. Hanging from the ceiling are electrical outlet boxes that can be pulled down to provide power at each of the workbenches.
- Messenger photo by Bill Shea <BR> Jennifer Dutcher, center, an assistant professor of humanities and art coordinator at Iowa Central Community College, prepares to snip the ribbon to officially open the college's new Art and Technology Building. Mary Ludwig, the college's vice president of development and alumni relations, is on her right. They are joined by, from right, Shelly Bootorff, executive director of the Fort Dodge Fine Arts Association; Stacy Mentzer, the college's vice president of instruction; and college President Jesse Ulrich.
- Messenger photo by Bill Shea <BR> People check out the arts and ceramics classroom Tuesday afternoon in the Art and Technology Building at Iowa Central Community College. Hanging from the ceiling are electrical outlet boxes that can be pulled down to provide power at each of the workbenches.
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The computer experts and artists of the future will learn their crafts in space at Iowa Central Community College where the school's administrators once worked.
The Art and Technology Building debuted Tuesday in a space once known as the Student Services Center.
The board meeting room and the various offices within it have been replaced with classrooms, a spacious photography studio with a wall of windows, a kiln and workspaces designed for everything from creating ceramics to learning how to defeat computer hackers.
The facility was opened to tours following a ribbon cutting ceremony held by the Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance.
College President Jesse Ulrich said the renovation of the building is one of the final projects financed with money from a $25.5 million bond issue approved by voters in 2018.
"This is one of the more hard core academic projects we have," he said.
The renovation of the building was designed by Allers Associates Architects, of Fort Dodge. Jensen Builders Ltd., of Fort Dodge, was the construction manager.
The project cost about $6.1 million.
The building was renovated over the past year to create a space where all arts and technology programs could come together.
"By bringing everyone together, our students will have a more well-rounded experience academically and with their fellow students," Stacy Mentzer, the college's vice president of instruction, said in a written statement. "This space is truly transformational."