Ellsworth Community College celebrates with a groundbreaking ceremony
IOWA FALLS, IA – Ellsworth Community College and Iowa Valley Community College District administration, board members, employees, and community members celebrated the breaking of new ground for a new residence hall on ECC’s campus Monday afternoon.
This new residence hall will begin construction and is slated to be complete and ready for students to move in for the Fall 2022 semester. It includes dorm-style residences, study spaces, a computer lab, and other amenities. It was designed by OPN Architects, Inc. as part of the bond referendum which voters passed in November 2019.
“There are many people to thank today, from IVCCD board members to voters, the state and city representatives to the Ellsworth College Foundation, but perhaps the most important is the Ellsworth College Board of Trustees,” said Dr. Kristie Fisher, IVCCD Chancellor. The Ellsworth College Trustees, which supports Ellsworth Community College in many ways, donated the land on which the new residence hall will be built.
“It is our pleasure to deed these properties to the district and contribute to the student experience at Ellsworth. We are glad to help provide a state-of-the-art facility for our students,” commented Darwin Miller, President of the Ellsworth College Board of Trustees during the groundbreaking ceremony.
Though this new residence hall is part of the 2019 bond project, the work to get to this point began in 2015 as part of a strategic plan for the entire Iowa Valley District. “We evaluated all of our facilities and found room for improvement in housing. Research shows that students who live on campus are more likely to succeed and graduate, so this was a priority at Ellsworth. It’s all about student success; it’s woven into our Vision and Mission statements,” said ECC Provost, Dr. Martin Reimer.
Iowa Valley Board President and Iowa Falls native, Larry Johnson spoke about the benefits of those with a vision, like Ellsworth founder, Eugene Ellsworth, especially to small communities. “It’s a celebration of a new era at ECC. This helps our community grow and demonstrates our commitment to our students and this community as a whole.”
This new residence hall is the start of several bond projects at Ellsworth and throughout Iowa Valley. Community members can visit https://www.iavalley.edu/bond-projects-update/ to keep up to date on progress across the district.