‘Our academic hub’: Utah Tech University breaks ground on state-of-the-art learning center

Written by Nick Yamashita
August 18, 2023

ST. GEORGE —Thursday morning at approximately 9 a.m., three groups of guests dug their shovels in the earth and turned the soil over, breaking ground for what is going to be the “academic hub” for the Utah Tech University campus.

Utah Tech University College of Humanities and Social Services Dean Stephen Lee speaks at a groundbreaking ceremony for a new General Classrooms building, St. George, Utah, Aug. 17, 2023 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News

College of Humanities and Social Sciences Dean Stephen Lee, Ph.D., welcomed all attendees and special guests to the groundbreaking ceremony for the new General Classrooms building, which is scheduled to serve students in fall 2025.

“While groundbreaking ceremonies signal the beginning, we have come to the point of 18 months of preparation and imagination,” Lee said. “The most fun is the imagining, of course.”

Administration, faculty, students and community members celebrated the groundbreaking of a facility described as innovative and imaginative.

The 120,091-square-foot building is on the southeast corner of the campus just south of the Udvar-Hazy Business building. It will feature 53 teaching spaces, including classrooms and labs, as well as 125 faculty offices and 26 collaborative spaces to facilitate hands-on learning experiences. There are also three elevators and 59 restroom stalls in the plans.

The learning center will meet the state’s high-performance building standards, meaning it will be energy-efficient and water-wise. Construction waste will be reduced through the use of low-volatile, organic compound paints and other eco-friendly building materials.

Natural lighting from multiple windows lining the building will illuminate the interior. This will provide exterior views to support the health and well-being of students, faculty and staff.

The official cost is estimated at $70.5 million and will be funded through the support of the Utah Legislature. Method Studio will serve as the architecture and design firm while Okland Construction will serve as the contractor.

The building will accommodate the College of Humanities and Social Sciences programs, including applied sociology, communication studies, criminal justice, English, history and political science, humanities and philosophy, media studies and psychology.

“As we stand on the threshold of this new era, this building represents more than just bricks and mortar. It embodies our vision for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences,” Lee said. “A future in which our students are empowered to engage in a human-centered, problem-solving approach to life.”

Utah Tech University holds a groundbreaking ceremony for a new General Classrooms building, St. George, Utah, Aug. 17, 2023 | Photo by Nick Yamashita, St. George News

Approximately 50 people participated in the groundbreaking tradition of digging and turning soil.

Lee thanked all staff and faculty for helping make the university a leader in comprehensive education.

He said the hope is to increase classroom capacity, give the humanities and social studies a centralized home, keep programs unified at the forefront of learning employable skills, such as effective oral and written communication, critical thinking, collaborative teamwork and sophisticated analytical skills, and provide community storefronts for the marriage and family therapy program.

“The future is bright,” he added.

President Richard Williams praised the state Legislature for supporting the construction of the building, adding that the new building has the potential to be a campus nerve center.

“It really is going to be our academic hub,” he said.

Williams said since securing university status in 2013, Utah Tech University has increased enrollment from 8,863 to more than 12,500 students, added 189 academic programs and increased the number of full-time employees by 70%.

“I believe today is a historic day,” Williams said, “one that will usher in more momentum and growth.”

The groundbreaking was the 10th major building renovation or construction of which Williams has been a part since he started service as president of Utah Tech.

“It is clear today that the Trailblazing life and attitude is alive and well,” he said. “It is a great day to be a Trailblazer.”

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nick Yamashita has extensive experience reporting for small town media, covering a variety of subjects and events for The Virgin River Times and The Progress in Southern Nevada. Before a career in journalism, he worked a variety of jobs in criminal justice systems. Yamashita holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and a master's degree in interdisciplinary studies from Southern Utah University. He is an award-winning photographer and writer. He has been published in scholarly articles and poetry compilations. In his spare time, he practices and teaches martial arts.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews

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