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MWCC Prepares for New STEM Building and Haley Center Renovations

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MWCC's new STEM building will advance its standing as a leader in STEM education.
MWCC’s new STEM building will advance its position as a leader in STEM education.

Following more than a year of extensive planning and design, Mount Wachusett Community College is preparing for the start of construction on a new $41 million science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) building. The 44,000-square-foot addition and renovation of the 40-year-old Arthur F. Haley Academic Center will bring MWCC to the forefront of STEM education.

“Construction is expected to begin in March,” said MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino. “If all goes as planned, pre-construction work on the Haley Building will begin in December. Our students deserve the very best. This project supports trends in teaching and learning and reflects the national and statewide STEM initiatives while providing the best possible education for our students.”

The Commonwealth is investing $38 million in the project to support the academic needs in North Central Massachusetts. The project will be one of the largest in North Worcester County.

Amenities will include eight new classrooms and laboratories, four lab prep rooms, 24 new faculty offices, student study space and interior glass walls to highlight STEM student innovation. New laboratory equipment, including projection microscopes with 60-inch flat screen monitors, will be acquired through a $500,000 grant the college received from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center.

Designed by Boston-based Architerra, Inc. to meet LEED certification for efficiency and sustainability, the new building will contain energy-efficient features related to heating, exhaust, lighting and plumbing that will further reduce MWCC’s carbon footprint.

Upgrades to audio/visual equipment and enhanced wireless capabilities in labs and open areas, are also among the features, as well as a new 2,300-square-foot greenhouse for science programs. Improvements to the Haley Academic Center also will include a new visitor entrance, a multi-purpose room, an academic advising suite, a refurbished student-centered campus hub and increased accessibility to the Raymond M. LaFontaine Fine Arts Center.