Welcome to the future of STEM

Guests mingle in the Paul B. and Deborah D. Speer Lobby during the exclusive tour on June 6, 2016.

Dressed in white lab coats and sipping spirits out of translucent blue and green specialty test tubes, 150 guests got the first glimpse of Clark College’s 70,000-square-foot science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) building on June 6,2016. The gathering showcased the future of STEM in the region and the donors who provided funding for select sections of the facility.

“We couldn’t be prouder to offer you these tours today,” said Lisa Gibert, president/CEO, Clark College Foundation. “I am very excited to show you this facility and express to you how it is going to impact STEM education in Southwest Washington.”

Students show off their project during an exclusive STEM tour and reception on June 6, 2016.

Peter Williams, Clark’s dean of STEM, said that in the next decade the fastest-growing job fields will require STEM skills. The state of Washington is ripe for fast-paced growth because it’s ranked number one in the nation for concentration of STEM jobs.

Clark students led guests on tours of the three-floor facility. The guides pointed out how vehicles the size of small trucks can drive into the north plaza; showed off the six-table anatomy lab for cadaver study that includes surgical LED lights and special exhaust units; and spoke about the blue medical and yellow chemical emergency lights installed outside each Chemistry classroom to alert first responders.

Biology Prof. Travis Kibota examining plastic models of internal organs in the new Steve and Jan Oliva Anatomy Lab.

The construction of the $40 million building was funded by the state of Washington; however, budget cuts led to a 15 percent reduction in funding. Philanthropic partners of Clark College Foundation stepped in to provide $1.9 million for several classrooms and a variety of equipment.

The facility will officially open with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on October 3, 2016.

For more images, visit our Flickr site.

View a webcam video of the complete construction process

06/6/2016