Terra State completes master plan for future campus development, expansion
FREMONT — Terra State Community College has unveiled a new master plan for its Fremont campus, one that President Ron Schumacher hopes will provide a blueprint and vision for the college's development over the next two decades.
The master plan, developed with Poggemeyer Design Group and BHDP, includes improving Terra State's Building I, with a priority of adding more space for the college's advanced manufacturing and workforce development programs.
"We're already heading down that path with the welding lab we've approved," Schumacher said Wednesday.
On-campus health and recreation center planned
The college's planning priorities also include improvements to Terra State's Buildings A, B and D, with details for a new on-campus health and recreation center, community wellness center and performing arts center.
Schumacher said all of the college's goals with the master plan and timelines for construction are dependent on funding.
He said adding space for advanced manufacturing and workforce development expansion would probably be the first part of the master plan where the college would look at securing capital improvement funds.
That expansion has a preliminary budget range of $6 to $8 million, with plans to add new welding and HVAC stations, a high bay "flex lab," and more space for robotics and broadband communication programs.
Under the new master plan, the college would also like to add a 600-seat performing arts center auditorium and new recording studios.
Schumacher said the college included everything administrators, faculty, staff and students could think of in the master plan.
Feedback from college staff, community
He said Terra State worked with Poggemeyer over a two-year period, with the firm reaching out to community members and college staff for feedback.
As the college looks to the future, it is also seeking to boost enrollment.
Schumacher said Terra State's goal is to have 2,500 students on campus by 2025.
The college has made it a priority this year of getting back to its pre-pandemic enrollment and full-time equivalent (FTE) numbers.
Terra State's fall 2019 final student headcount was 2,317 students. As of last week, Terra State had 2,160 students enrolled for the fall 2022 semester.
Schumacher said the college has seen higher enrollment numbers for first-time, full-time students and wants to continue that trend.
He said Terra State also wants to keep its number of College Credit Plus students at a controlled level.
Currently, CCP students account for about 25% of Terra State's FTE numbers, Schumacher said.
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This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Terra State master plan includes advanced manufacturing expansion
