Durham Tech plans for Orange County campus
By: Elizabeth Jensen, Staff Writer
Issue date: 4/4/08 Section: City
Durham Technical Community College will open its new Orange County campus in time for the summer session.
The first phase of construction is complete, resulting in a 40,000-square-foot building on the 20-acre campus between Chapel Hill and Hillsborough.
It's equipped with 22 classrooms, computer and science labs and flexible space for technical classes.
The satellite campus, located off Interstate 40 and N.C. 86, will give many students more centralized access when the first classes start May 2. Orange County residents make up 25 percent of Durham Tech students.
"We expect that number to rise with the opening of the new campus," said Pamela Senegal, dean of corporate education.
Orange County programs have been at public schools, churches and recreational centers.
"We'll just have more space that is actually on our campus," said Dina Logan, Durham Tech's director of Orange County centers.
The building will open for continuing education classes and basic skills classes during the summer. Full classes will be available in the fall.
"Well, right now we are looking at offering variety and looking to the community for their feedback," Logan said.
Programs that will be offered at the satellite campus include occupational health, computer technology, foreign language, English as a second language and university transfer programs.
"Community colleges are designed to work with the economic development in the community," career services coordinator Tom Russo said. Companies sometimes come to the community college looking for students trained for specific jobs.
"We constantly train students to meet industry needs," he said.
The new campus will be a part of the mixed-use Waterstone Development, complete with businesses and housing options.
"It is really designed nicely to incorporate with the Waterstone community," Hillsborough Mayor Tom Stevens said.
The new campus has several environmentally friendly features, including the enhancement of natural lights, solar-assisted domestic water heating, rainwater collection and waterless urinals.
"It's a green building, and we are really excited about that," Russo said.
Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
The first phase of construction is complete, resulting in a 40,000-square-foot building on the 20-acre campus between Chapel Hill and Hillsborough.
It's equipped with 22 classrooms, computer and science labs and flexible space for technical classes.
The satellite campus, located off Interstate 40 and N.C. 86, will give many students more centralized access when the first classes start May 2. Orange County residents make up 25 percent of Durham Tech students.
"We expect that number to rise with the opening of the new campus," said Pamela Senegal, dean of corporate education.
Orange County programs have been at public schools, churches and recreational centers.
"We'll just have more space that is actually on our campus," said Dina Logan, Durham Tech's director of Orange County centers.
The building will open for continuing education classes and basic skills classes during the summer. Full classes will be available in the fall.
"Well, right now we are looking at offering variety and looking to the community for their feedback," Logan said.
Programs that will be offered at the satellite campus include occupational health, computer technology, foreign language, English as a second language and university transfer programs.
"Community colleges are designed to work with the economic development in the community," career services coordinator Tom Russo said. Companies sometimes come to the community college looking for students trained for specific jobs.
"We constantly train students to meet industry needs," he said.
The new campus will be a part of the mixed-use Waterstone Development, complete with businesses and housing options.
"It is really designed nicely to incorporate with the Waterstone community," Hillsborough Mayor Tom Stevens said.
The new campus has several environmentally friendly features, including the enhancement of natural lights, solar-assisted domestic water heating, rainwater collection and waterless urinals.
"It's a green building, and we are really excited about that," Russo said.
Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.
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