This content was published: October 6, 2014. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.
PCC celebrates ‘new’ Southeast Campus
Photos and story by James Hill
Portland Community College now has its fourth comprehensive campus, and it’s time to party.
From noon to 4 p.m., on Saturday, Oct. 18, PCC is celebrating the transformation of the Southeast Center (2305 S.E. 82nd and Division) into a full-service comprehensive campus with a grand opening. Attendees will have the opportunity to eat food from local food carts, listen to live music and taiko drumming, enjoy zumba, martial arts, Chinelos and Lion dancers, and collect stamps in their PCC Passport by participating in family-friendly activities and crafts. A moment of transformation will occur at 1 p.m., and a campus dance party with Melao de Cuba will follow. The event is free and open to the public.
The community party signifies the transformation of the Southeast Center into a comprehensive, full-service campus where students can earn an associate’s degree and have access to the full palette of student services at one location.
The community party signifies the transformation of the Southeast Center into a comprehensive, full-service campus where students can earn an associate’s degree and have access to the full palette of student services at one location. This transition is part of the college’s 2008 voter-approved $374 million bond program with $49 million going to the construction and improvements that have more than doubled the size of the campus to 18 acres.
“For all of us this will be a momentous occasion,” said Southeast Campus President Jessica Howard. “We’re celebrating our new resource-rich learning environment designed for students to succeed and the fact that the doors of opportunity are quite literally thrown open for the historically underserved communities of Southeast Portland. This is a visible realization of the commitment of the college’s faculty and staff after so many years of service in the area.”
People who stop by can view the recently finished Student Commons and Library buildings. The Student Commons is a three-story, 66,000-square-foot structure finished last spring that houses an expanded bookstore, five science classrooms/labs, six general purpose classrooms, four career technical education/computer classrooms and a new STEM center. The Library is a three-story, 40,000-square-foot facility that contains the Student Computing Center, Student Learning Center (including tutoring services), Volunteer Literacy Center, traditional library services, four classrooms and study areas. Both buildings will house street-level retail space as part of the college’s effort to integrate services for students and the neighborhood.
“The energy surrounding the transformation of the college’s Southeast Center to its fourth campus is palpable,” said PCC President Jeremy Brown. “I remember coming to the Southeast Center for the first time when I was a finalist for the presidency, and thinking how much I wanted to be part of this college, one that was on the verge opening such a fantastic fourth campus. And that day is now here.
The Student Commons is a three-story, 66,000-square-foot structure finished last spring that houses an expanded bookstore, five science classrooms/labs, six general purpose classrooms, four career technical education/computer classrooms and a new STEM center.
“At long last we’re able to bring a full menu of offerings, in terms of technology, courses, facilities and services, to our students and staff at Southeast,” he added. “Instead of a two-building center, there’s now a feeling that this is a real college campus.”
In addition to the new, there is the old. The German American Society’s historic 1911 building, renamed the Southeast Administration Building, has been preserved and repurposed. The renovated structure provides space for campus and community events as well as offices for Southeast’s administrative and Community Education staff. And on the fourth floor, PCC will open a branch of its award-winning Small Business Development Center by years end to provide services to Southeast Portland small business owners and entrepreneurs.
“Having Southeast become a comprehensive campus adds many new engagement opportunities for students,” said Joshua Peters McBride, student leadership coordinator for the campus. “With new services such as our Multicultural, Women’s Resource and Career Exploration centers, Queer Resource and a Veterans Resource spaces as well as our newly renovated Student Leadership Office, Southeast is perfectly positioned to provide new, exciting, and intentional learning opportunities for our students.”
An example of the benefits of the new campus’ status is how it serves students. Rather than having to shuttle to other locations to take a key core class a student can remain in the Southeast Portland neighborhood and take all the courses they need to complete their associate’s degree. Also, student support services now are offered in one location at the Southeast Campus Answer Center – a one-stop kiosk where any student can access and navigate college resources (Enrollment Services, Registration, Financial Aid and Student Accounts) with help from staff volunteers.
“The campus, like the neighborhoods around it, is poised for great things,” Howard said. “It is a wonderful feeling and privilege to arrive at this moment.”
About James Hill
James G. Hill, an award-winning journalist and public relations writer, is the Director of Public Relations at Portland Community College. A graduate of Portland State University, James has worked as a section editor for the Newberg Graphic... more »
I remember when Southeast Center was one building! Great to see new growth and options for the Southeast Portland Community. Thank you Portland Community College and Portland Voters!
It’s great to see the new buildings at Southeast but I’m worried they won’t be great or new for long. I can’t believe how disgusting the Southeast campus buildings get. Tabor and Scott do not look 10 years old, they look 25. The bathrooms are gross, the classrooms are gross, the desks and chairs are gross, the hallways are gross, and the stairwells are gross. Even the new “commons” and “administration building” are getting gross, and they are brand new! How can a campus have such beautiful landscaping and beautiful new buildings yet take care of them so poorly. I saw an employee recently with a “PCC Proud” shirt and I laughed because the custodians at southeast don’t have or show any pride in their work. Something is wrong and southeast because the other campuses are not nearly as bad.
I love PCC Southeast. It is close to my home and offers great courses!
Yes, some areas can get a little dirty – but that’s only because people aren’t respectful and leave trash expecting others to pick it up. Have you ever talked to the janitors there? They are really nice and hard working.
Hm. I am sorry that Larry has had a negative experience with the campus. I think the janitors work immensely hard to keep this place clean. I do feel students might be taking advantage of that here, but I think they work really hard. I have seen our janitors work as early as I have been on campus (7 am is the earliest) and everything is fairly spotless. The janitors are amazing here at southeast, and they are very friendly to boot.
Speaking of the janitors, I actually just love the staff at Southeast, and I absolutely enjoy the environment Southeast offers. I have never had as many opportunities as I have had at this campus. It’s smaller, it has a community feel, and the staff work really hard to make this an inclusive environment for all students to succeed. The fact that Southeast is finally becoming a campus is incredible and laces the campus with even more opportunity to succeed with the students and the immediate community. This is definitely something to be celebrated. Students will have more resources and options than they have ever had at this campus and I can’t wait to see what Southeast does in the coming years.
What an incredible moment for PCC and for the communities around the new campus! I look forward to celebrating with the community and share my appreciation for the PCC leaders who have worked so hard for many years to bring this vision to fruition. I’m grateful to the amazing work of past College President Dr. Pulliams who spearheaded passage of the $374 million bond measure in 2008, which made all of this possible; as well as to those who today are trusted stewards of his legacy. Way to go Southeast!
It will be SO exciting to celebrate the transformation of Southeast on Oct. 18! After years of strategic planning and discussion related to bond-funded improvements for the center-now-campus, it’s wonderful to see — literally — all of that energy and deliberation by way of tangible buildings, landscaping, renovation and more. It’s a beautiful site and a gift to be treasured, for the college and the community at large.
I remember when the SE Center was on the other side of Division, before this campus was built! As far as the school being disgusting that is harsh. I only to the campus two days a week, and only use the math hall but it is always clean, including the bathrooms! And just think about it, when you see trash laying around, it’s from your fellow classmates being slobs!
I’m new to the area and it is beautiful.
[…] Thanks to everyone who came out to our Southeast Campus Grand Opening celebration on Saturday! A longtime dream for many of us, this expanded 18-acre campus will serve over 20,000 students in Southeast Portland. We couldn’t be prouder of this historic moment for PCC! […]
Thank you PCC for inviting the community to celebrate this milestone! You couldn’t have asked for better weather. It was delightful to see the neighborhood children exploring the chemistry and welding activities…too name a few. I especially loved the variety of performances.
After all the prep hard work over the years Saturday unfolded the fruit of all that hard work. I am so glad to be a part of this campus and am excited to be here in school for at least 2 years, probably longer as my first school choice was P.C.C. and I am finally here after wanting to come for a long time. The place looks great from the bathrooms to the grounds to it all in between. The workers are doing great and it shows. And the Women’s Resource Center has been very helpful and guided me to a class, Life Tracks that I will be taking in the Winter Quarter.
I think this is exciting, more opportunities for learning are spectacular. Also, from the looks of it, Larry may want to look into a janitorial career so that he can make an actual difference in the school’s quality. Exciting stuff!