Mayor G.T. Bynum, City Councilor Anna America, and Tulsa Community College officials including President and CEO Leigh B. Goodson, and Board of Regents Chair Paul Cornell held a groundbreaking today for the newest Vision Tulsa project – the Student Success and Career Center at the TCC Southeast Campus, 10300 E. 81st St. The $5.3 million facility is part of the Vision Tulsa package approved by voters in 2016.
“Tulsa’s future workforce starts by giving individuals the tools they need to graduate from college with a degree or certificate and to start a career,” said Mayor Bynum. “Through the strong support in our city for the Vision Tulsa program, the investment is being made and TCC will help shape Tulsa’s future workforce.”
The Student Success and Career Center is designed with the student in mind by removing stumbling blocks such as long lines and providing personalized service to increase the student’s success. More than 90 percent of TCC graduates remain in the Tulsa area and invest their careers in Tulsa businesses, according to a 2017 study by TCC. This means more citizens completing post-secondary education and better prepared to enter the Tulsa area workforce.
“This facility will have a direct impact on student success by creating an area where key support services are integrated and attention is individualized for each student,” said TCC President Goodson. “This will be a comprehensive one-stop location from the first time a student enters TCC until the time they graduate and enter the workforce.”
TCC serves approximately 25,000 annually. The Southeast Campus, the largest of the four main campuses, routinely serves about half of those students. The new facility will expand key student services considered essential for graduation and job attainment by offering wrap-around services from college application to completion.
“This Vision Tulsa economic development project contributes to carrying out the City of Tulsa’s mission stated in our strategic plan: to build the foundation for economic prosperity, improved health and enhanced quality of life for our community,” Councilor America said. “TCC is a great regional asset, and this will strengthen the entire program.”
Construction of the 48,250 square-foot facility is expected to take 12 months.
About Vision Tulsa
Vision Tulsa, an $884 million sales tax renewal package approved by voters in 2016, will make substantial investments in economic development, education, public safety, streets and transportation needs citywide. With citizen priorities providing the driving force behind the creation of Vision Tulsa, transformative projects and enhancements will set the stage for a bright future for Tulsa.
About Tulsa Community College
TCC is one of the most comprehensive community colleges in the United States ranking in the Top 50 in the nation in the number of Associate Degrees it awards among nearly 1,100 community colleges nationwide. Serving more than 25,000 students annually in credit courses, TCC is the state’s largest two-year college with four campuses in the Tulsa area. For more information on TCC, visit www.tulsacc.edu