Our Facilities and Technology

The College has made a major investment in state-of-the-art facilities for teaching science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).  

In 2009, we opened the Advanced Technology Center, which houses our highly regarded technical programs. The following year, we opened the STEM Center, home to our classrooms and laboratories for science, engineering and mathematics – and the new gateway to our Marple Campus. Together, these two new buildings make up the STEM Complex.

With their modern classrooms, advanced laboratories and inviting student spaces, these two facilities rival those found at our region’s best four-year colleges.  In fact, our Advanced Technology Center is the only facility of its kind in the region – a unique resource for students and local businesses alike.  

STEM Center

The new four-story STEM Center has 105,000 square feet of space for education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.  

Learn more about the College’s programs in science, technology, engineering and math >> 

The STEM Center has been designed to promote the latest trends in STEM education, including small-group collaboration, hands-on learning, the use of multimedia tools, smaller class sizes and cross-disciplinary approaches.  With brightly colored interiors, light-filled rooms and large windows, the Center offers a stimulating environment for learning. 

To enhance learning and prepare students for the workplace, the STEM Center has been equipped with the latest information technology.  For example, each classroom and lab has an interactive learning display station for high-definition images, presentations and movies.  Students and faculty in computer-aided design classes have access to state-of-the-art plotters and high-resolution scanners.  

The facility also has more than 200 desktop and laptop computers and 30 networked laser printers.  An additional 24 powerful iMac computers are available for student use in the Center’s computer lounge.  And the entire building is supported by ultra-speed networking equipment and a reliable, high-quality networked telephony system.  

The new STEM Center opened for classes in January 2010.  The architectural highlight of the facility is the acute-angled, glass-wrapped corner known as the “prism,” which will be illuminated to glow at night.  In essence, the prism will signify the pursuit of science and enlightenment.

The building’s brightly colored interiors, light-filled rooms, and corridors with seating “pods” provide a stimulating learning environment and encourage interaction between students and faculty.  Amenities such as a fitness center, aerobics studio, open computer lounge, lecture hall, and café on the first floor make the STEM Center a veritable student commons.

In keeping with the College’s commitment to preserving the environment, the STEM Center has sustainable features such as a green roof, energy-efficient systems, recycled materials and daylight harvesting.  It has been designed to qualify for LEED Silver Certification from the U.S. Building Council, a rating that indicates that a facility minimizes environmental impact and limits use of nonrenewable resources.  

Advanced Technology Center 

The Advanced Technology Center (ATC) offers 32,000 square feet of classroom and laboratory space for the College’s technical programs, which prepare students for jobs in everything from the traditional trades to high-tech engineering technology programs. 

Learn more about the programs offered in the Advanced Technology Center >>

With cutting-edge technology, the ATC gives students hands-on experience that prepares them for today’s in-demand occupations.  It also features highly specialized and customized education and training programs for our corporate partners, such as Boeing, Sunoco and Exelon.  Thanks to these partnerships, our students learn on the latest technology and equipment, and they graduate well prepared for jobs in today’s high-growth technical fields. 

The ATC houses the following laboratories:  

• Automotive 
• CAD/CAM (Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Machining)
• Carpentry 
• Commercial Electric 
• Composites
• Electronics
• HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning)/Plumbing 
• Industrial Systems Technology
• Machine Tool Technology 
• Residential Electric
• Robotics/Mechanical Technology
• Welding

Like the STEM Center, the ATC has been designed with sustainable features, including energy-efficient systems, recycled materials and daylight harvesting, all of which minimize its environmental impact and limit use of nonrenewable resources.