Dedication for the $50 million Laredo Community College South campus will be held Friday, April 16, at 7 p.m. The new campus is located at 5500 South Zapata Highway. Tours of the facility begin at 5:30 p.m.
LCC President Dr. Ramon H. Dovalina said the college family is preparing a community-wide celebration for residents of Laredo, Nuevo Laredo and neighboring communities.
The celebration will include entertainment from college and high school student performance ensembles, food and soft drinks, plus a dedication ceremony that will culminate with an exciting fireworks display.
“The Laredo Community College family extends a cordial invitation to our community, Sister City and South Texas neighbors to attend the opening for the second LCC campus,” said Dovalina. “Everyone is invited to be part of this new chapter in LCC history, which will be formally dedicated with an explosive flair.”
The celebration will include the dedication of buildings to honor and recognize the contributions of seven Laredoans.
The new student center, Building A, will honor the memory and bear the name of former Webb County Treasurer and Texas State Legislator William N. “Billy” Hall, Jr.
The new campus library, Building B, will be named to recognize the support of State Senator Judith Zaffirini and will be named the Dr. Judith Zaffirini Library.
Building D will be named the Camilo Prada Child Development Center.
The new Automotive Technology Center, Building E, will be named for board member Raquel Gonzalez. The new Physical Fitness Center, Building G, will be named for trustee J. C. Trevino, Jr.
The landmark bell tower at the college entrance will be named to honor the memory of Herman B. and Lilla May O’Keefe, whose farm operated on land near the campus site and whose family continues to support LCC students through scholarships and other contributions.
Francisco Martinez, Dean of Second Campus Planning, said the campus was designed to create new state-of-the-art facilities for several college anchor programs, including child development, automotive technology, protective services, and computer electronics.
The William N. “Billy” Hall, Jr., Student Center is a 40,100 square feet facility and its first floor contains a Community Meeting Room, Conference Room, Bursar’s Office, Financial Aid Office, Counseling Center, Admissions Office, Student Activities Office, Bookstore, Cafeteria, and TV Room. The second floor will include an Assessment Center, Mailroom, Print Services, Student Computer Resource Room, Employment Assistance Center, Administration, and Health Services (Campus Nurse).
The Senator Judith Zaffirini Library, in 25,800 square feet, contains library stacks, a Computer Room, and a Bibliographical Instruction Computer Room on its first floor. On the second floor is the new Learning Center’s Tutoring Area, Testing Room and four Computer Labs.
Building C, the Academic and Advanced Technology Center, is the largest facility on the new campus encompassing 83,000 square feet. It contains on its first floor two lecture halls, 17 classrooms, Language Lab, two Science Labs, three Computer Labs, 15 faculty offices, Quick Copy Center/adjunct faculty workroom, and offices for the Child Development Department. The second floor of this building houses eight computer labs, two science labs, 2 language labs, three multi-use classrooms, one lecture hall, eight electronics labs, two distance education classrooms, faculty offices, one seminar room and offices for the Computer Electronics Technology Department.
The Camilo Prada Child Development Center is a Model Teaching Lab containing six classrooms for 2, 3 and 4 year-olds; a Multi-Purpose Room, a Director’s Office and kitchen. Outdoors it has two playgrounds. The center will serve children of students, staff and community.
The Raquel Gonzalez Automotive Technology Center contains the Physical Plant and the ASE Certified Automotive Technology Department in 32,800 square feet. It features eight Automobile Bays; two Diesel Motor Bays; four classrooms; one Auto Body Classroom; and Auto Paint Room. The Physical Plant office, storage and cooling tower are also part of this facility.
The Protective Services Department and Regional Police Academy are housed in Building F within 24,700 square feet. The first floor contains five classrooms; one Computer Lab; seven faculty offices; Campus Police Office; and in its basement 15 firing lanes for pistols and other weapons, storage and a control room.
The J.C. Treviño, Jr., Physical Fitness Center contains one lecture room, one fitness area, a half-gym, two locker rooms, and one therapy room. This building encompasses 13,600 square feet of space.
LCC South opened its doors on March 1, 2004, with a selection of community education, workforce development and police academy courses.
A full slate of college credit courses will be offered at the 60 acre campus beginning in the fall 2004 semester. LCC South will contain all the courses needed to acquire an Associate of Arts and most Associate in Science Degrees, plus specialized training programs in Automotive Technology, Computer Electronics Technology, Protective Services, the LCC Regional Police Academy, and Child Development.
For more information, contact the office of Marketing and Public Information at LCC by calling 721-5140. Office hours are Mondays through Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 12 noon.
Office of Marketing and Public Information
West End Washington St.
Laredo, TX 78040-4395
956- 721-5140
Fax 956-721-5443