CLC Holds Ribbon Cutting for Brainerd Campus Renovation Project

Central Lakes College held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday for its Brainerd campus renovation project.

The Student Services and Academic Support renovation project renewed and renovated over 45,000 gross square feet of space. The effort was something initially brainstormed during former President Larry Lundblad’s time at the school.

“It takes a long time to get things to happen, but I’m really pleased to see what has occurred,” he said. “It started about 10, 12 years ago, and prospective students would walk in, they wouldn’t know where to go. They had to go to multiple places, multiple floors.”

Nine different offices were relocated and academic spaces underwent upgrades to eliminate barriers to student access.

“Once they get ready to register, they—right away—meet with the people who are going to help walk with them through the educational journey,” said CLC President Hara Charlier said. “And we want students working hard in their classrooms, but we not want them working hard to figure out where their advisor is or how to submit a FAFSA.”

Other key components of the projects revolved around renovating the athletic facility as well as streamlining access to student services staff for both prospective and current students.

“Any given student comes to us with these really complicated lives,” Charlier added. “And for us to support that student, we need to make certain that all the resources are together and our staff can work together to support that student. That helps the student who’s here today and also helps us prepare for the students who are coming.”

Improving student success served as one of the main goals of CLC’s renovation project, along with addressing structural inefficiencies and creating an environment that supports academic achievement and closes the student success gap. After the project was completed, the student body showed appreciation for the school’s commitment to their futures.

“We don’t have to travel all across the campus to go to talk to financial aid and admissions and your advisor,” explained Danielle Borchert, president of the Student Senate at CLC’s Brainerd campus. “All of them are now centrally located and it’s just going to be a fantastic change for this campus.”

CLC will also be replacing carpets, painting, and more in adjacent spaces to the renovation project over the next few weeks.