New date set for Lakeshore Student Center grand opening

WAUKEGAN – Join the College of Lake County to celebrate the opening of the Student Center at the Lakeshore Campus in Waukegan on a new date.

The grand opening has been moved to 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28. The event is free and open to the public. Please come at any time during those hours.

Located at 34 N. Sheridan Road, the six-story building is the newest addition to Waukegan’s skyline. It is fully integrated on campus with the second and third floors connecting to one of the college’s existing buildings.

“One of the things we wanted to do with the campus is go beyond what we already have on-site,” Lakeshore Campus Dean Jesus Ruiz said in a news release. “We wanted to think outside the box and imagine what we could become as a campus.”

The Student Center is part of CLC’s Lakeshore commitment to offer a wider variety of courses at its Waukegan campus. Along with providing essential courses such as English and math, the added instructional space will bring programs including digital media design and cybersecurity. Other programs offered at Lakeshore include dental hygiene, phlebotomy, medical assisting and certified nursing assisting.

The Student Center is on track to achieve the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold certification for its sustainability features. The building is energy efficient and the windows are made of glass that tints during the day to block out excess sunlight. The glass also has tiny dots embedded throughout to deter bird strikes, which is an important feature given how many migratory birds fly through Waukegan.

As part of the Waukegan community, the new building is home to a large community gathering space. The top floor of the Student Center will house the Eleanor Murkey Community Center, named after the first dean of the Lakeshore Campus. The space features a balcony overlooking the lakefront.

At the grand opening event, food and entertainment will be provided by local restaurants and performance groups.

“We want to make sure that whatever initiative we bring to Lakeshore is relevant and supportive of the needs of the community,” Ruiz said.