Submitted article
During this season of giving and gratitude, partners in the higher education center opening in Bucyrus in the fall of 2015 would like to thank contributors, investors and community members for moving this project closer to its goal.
“We plan to start classes here in less than nine months,” said Dave Williamson, director of the Crawford County Education and Economic Development Partnership. “There’s a lot of work to do yet, but we’ve come a long way, and we’re thrilled to see excitement and support build in the Crawford community.”
“In addition to the substantial support of the Timken Family Foundation, the Community Foundation for Crawford County, and the Smith Family, many people and organizations are giving generously to turn this vision into a reality,” said Betty Preston, Vice President for Institutional Advancement for North Central State College. “Their generosity has accelerated the design and renovation of this state-of-the-art, upscale, multi-purpose facility.”
The construction kick-off event on Oct. 27 allowed investors and leaders from North Central State College and Crawford County to visualize the potential from within the walls of the former Board of Elections building.
“Architects from SoL Harris/Day are finalizing their renderings,” said Dean Schaad, North Central State College’s facilities manager. “Contactor bids will post in January, and construction should start in March, wrapping up in early August.”
Dorey Diab, president of North Central State College feels welcomed. “NC State is proud to be joining the Crawford County community,” he said. “We look forward to providing educational and training opportunities that meet the growing needs of businesses throughout the region.”
Other recent developments include the launch of an active search for an operations manager to help run the center, recruit students, and serve as a liaison to the community and its businesses. North Central State College and Crawford County leaders are planning to have that position filled by the end of January.
The project’s leadership team has also chosen to update the branding and name for the center. Originally named the “Crawford Connection Center,” organizers learned of some confusion in the community with another local organization with a similar educational mission – the Crawford College Connection. In order to better distinguish between the two entities, the center will open in 2015 as the “Crawford Success Center.”
“The vision for the Center has been enthusiastically backed with increased gifts and pledges to support the construction, renovation and operations plan currently in place,” Preston said. “Additional funds will need to be raised to complete the vision and fully equip and operate the 7,000 square feet facility.”
Crawford County residents, employers, educators and students are encouraged to take an active part in the effort to raise the rest of the money. Investing in education and training can improve students’ lives, their workplace and the community as a whole, Williamson said.
“Education is the principal building block to start a foundation for success in revitalizing Crawford County,” added Gary Frankhouse, Crawford County’s Economic Development Coordinator. “Retention, expansion, and attraction of businesses in our county require a skilled work force and education is a means to that end. As we strive to increase the percentage of students seeking post-secondary education, the partnership with North Central State College will be a giant leap forward to achieving those results. The convenience, environment, and opportunity should be inspiring for our citizens to expand their horizons and take advantage of this opportunity to stay close to home and improve their earning power.”