by
Public Relations and Marketing | Published Nov 23, 2022
Note: The date for this event has since changed to 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 28.
College of Lake County (CLC) is excited to welcome the community into the brand new Student Center at the Lakeshore Campus in downtown Waukegan for the start of the spring semester. Join CLC in the celebration at the building’s grand opening any time from 1-6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 13.
Located at 34 N. Sheridan Road, the six-story building is the newest addition to Waukegan’s skyline, likely being the first thing someone sees after stepping off the Metra train. It is fully integrated on campus, with the second and third floors connecting to the college’s existing building.
“One of the things we wanted to do with the campus is go beyond what we already have on site,” said Lakeshore Campus Dean Jesus Ruiz. “We wanted to think outside the box and imagine what we could become as a campus.”
The new Student Center is part of CLC’s Lakeshore Commitment to offer a wider variety of courses at its Waukegan campus. Along with providing essential courses like English and math, the added instructional space will bring programs including digital media and design and cybersecurity. Other programs offered at Lakeshore include dental hygiene, phlebotomy, medical assisting and certified nursing assisting.
Like the science building at the Grayslake Campus, the Student Center is on track to achieve U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) platinum certification for its sustainability features. The building is energy efficient and the windows are made of glass that tints during the day to block out excess sunlight. The glass also has tiny dots embedded throughout to deter bird strikes, which is an important feature given how many migratory birds fly through Waukegan.
As a part of the Waukegan community, the new building is also home to a large community gathering space. The top floor of the student center will house the Eleanor Murkey Community Center, named after the first dean of the Lakeshore Campus. The space features a balcony overlooking the lakefront.
Community will be a big focus of the grand opening event, with food and entertainment being provided by local restaurants and performance groups.
“We want to make sure that whatever initiative we bring to Lakeshore is relevant and supportive of the needs of the community,” Ruiz said.
Tours will be available during the grand opening. To sign up for a tour ahead of the event, contact Jesus Ruiz at jruiz20@clcillinois.edu. Registration is open for spring courses starting Jan. 18.
About College of Lake County
College of Lake County is a comprehensive community college committed to equitable high-quality education, cultural enrichment and partnerships to advance the diverse communities it serves in northeastern Illinois. Offered at three campuses in Grayslake, Vernon Hills and Waukegan or online, college classes are affordable and accessible to help each student achieve academic, career and personal goals. More than 70,000 students graduated with degrees and certificates since the college opened in 1969. College of Lake County is the only higher-education institution ranked among the top 15 best places to work in Illinois by Forbes in 2019 and is a national leader in many areas, including campus internationalization, sustainability and conservation.