Ribbon-cutting ceremonies take place Wednesday at the Cartersville campus of Georgia Highlands College to open the new student center. Pictured are: Paul Battles (from left), Georgia House of Representatives, District 15; Renva Watterson, GHC interim president; Hank Huckaby, chancellor, University System of Georgia; Isaac Waters, president of the student organization Brother 2 Brother; and David Caswell, chair, GHC Foundation. (contributed photo)
Randy Pierce, president emeritus, at Georgia Highlands College's ribbon cutting for the Cartersville campus student center. (contributed photo)
L to R: Isaac Waters, president of the student organization Brother 2 Brother; Rob Whitaker, vice president for finance and administration; Katie Dempsey, Georgia House of Representatives, District 13; Renva Watterson, GHC interim president; Paul Battles, Georgia House of Representatives, District 15; Clarence Brown, Bartow County commissioner; Hank Huckaby, chancellor, University System of Georgia; David Caswell (face obscured), chair, GHC Foundation; Joe Frank Harris, Jr., president and CEO, Cartersville-Bartow Chamber of Commerce. (contributed photo)
Students enjoyed a variety of games and entertainment that highlighted a week-long celebration of the center. Student Isaac Waters expressed the thoughts of most of the students.
“The students who voted to impose the additional fees made this facility a reality, despite the fact that most of them are no longer here to enjoy it,” Waters said. “I think that takes vision and a great sense of community. The fees not only have built this building, they also will go toward improvements to student amenities at all our campuses. Today is a celebration for and by students.”
The two-story, 55,000-square-foot building features a game room, grab-and-go café, a two-story open-air student lounge with fireplace, two regulation-sized basketball/volleyball courts with an elevated running track above them, and state-of-the-art weight and cardio rooms. The center also houses the student book store, four offices, a large, 150-person capacity meeting room and a project room for student organizations.
Highlands financed the $18 million student center using the public/private venture process commonly employed throughout the USG. The college and its foundation worked with the Cartersville-Bartow Joint Development Authority to issue bonds backed by a student fee of $100 per semester. Students across all campuses strongly supported the fee for the upgrade of student service space. Fees will be used to pay for the bonds over a 30-year term.
The Cartersville campus opened in 2005.
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