Enhancing facilities and student experiences
D r. Kent Wattleworth Hall, Olney Central College’s main building, opened 50 years ago this fall. During the past year, a number of renovations have been underway to enhance both its classroom and student spaces. When students arrived in Fall 2023, they found the Student Union sporting an updated look, which included new carpeting and modern furniture. Since the enhancements, student usage of the space has greatly increased.
summer, which will highlight the Olney Central College Foundation’s formation. Synchronous Lecture Halls Wattleworth Hall classroom facilities also are being updated, most notably with the creation of additional synchronous lecture halls. These state- of-the-art facilities are designed to connect students to faculty members and educational programs at different geographic locations. The Synchronous Lecture Halls use high-quality video conferencing technology to enable two-way communication between instructors and students. Instructors can share their lecture and interact with students in multiple locations in real time. They also have the capability to record the materials to allow their students to revisit them again as they prepare for future examinations. “The synchronous lecture halls are allowing our students to experience courses we don’t offer on each campus,” said OCC Associate Dean of Instruction Amy Tarr. “These rooms are also used to send courses to rural high schools that don’t have qualified staff to teach dual credit courses. Ultimately, we are able to share IECC’s greatest resource, our faculty.”
OCC Student Ambassador Courtney Crawford is among those who appreciated the updates. “Throughout this year, I feel that it brought students together to create a positive and healthy student learning environment,” she said. “It also allowed students to unwind and socialize in one place. Many students love the use of the ping pong tables and the swivel chairs. I look forward to seeing how these changes impact new students in the upcoming year.” The OCC Banquet Room also received a facelift. The meeting space features new carpet, paint and a historical mural following the college’s rich legacy.
ABOVE: The OCC Student Union underwent renovations prior to the start of Fall 2023 classes. The updates included new carpet and furniture.
A second graphic will be installed later this
26 OCC Annual Report
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker