Students start spring classes in Sessions Hall
Enterprise State Community College students were back in the classroom in the newly renovated Sessions Hall as the first face-to-face spring classes started Tuesday, Jan. 19.
The renovation of Sessions Hall was planned as part of the College’s Five-Year Plan to upgrade facilities across both the Enterprise campus and the Alabama Aviation College campus.
“We intend to address the needs of and modernize every building on both our campuses,” ESCC President Matt Rodgers said. “It is essential that we do everything we can to provide state-of-the-art facilities to our students to learn and train in, and we know there’s much work to be done before we are where we need to be. Our goal is to eventually have the finest facilities in our state, and we are excited about our progress to meet that goal. Our students, instructors, and staff are fantastic, and we want to give them the very best.”
As part of the College’s renovation project, Sessions Hall was repainted and received new technology in each classroom, updated furniture throughout the building, and an upgraded HVAC system. Additionally, the building features renovated office spaces for faculty and staff as well as a new student lounge area.
“We have been doing a great job updating all of our buildings to meet the current needs of our students and match the rigor of instruction our faculty provides,” Vice President/Dean of Instruction Danny Long said. “As we were planning this project, we received input from our faculty and staff about the items that were needed in our classrooms and lab spaces. We also knew that we wanted to offer our students space where they would feel comfortable studying or socializing with others.”
“We were well aware Sessions needed updating, and to see the changes that have been made, I think this building looks great and is something we can really be proud of,” Long said. “Sessions Hall offers our faculty and staff a modern yet comfortable place to work and is a first-class learning facility for students in our math and science classes.”
Built-in 1966, Sessions Hall houses ESCC’s Divisions of Mathematics and Science. The building includes laboratories and classrooms as well as a unique octagonal lecture room that can house over 100 occupants.
Work on the Sessions Hall renovation project began in December 2019. In March 2020, the College had to quickly transition to online instruction while work on the project slowed as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.
“We’re very happy to be back here,” Division of Science Chair Dr. Tyler Simmons said. “When this project began, we had to move into another building and get used to working in that space before the pandemic hit, which forced us to adapt our classes to an online environment. Still, our faculty took everything in stride.
“Now, we’re coming back to a great looking building. Sessions Hall is where the math and science faculty are most at home, and I’m thankful for all the hard work everyone put in to make sure our students continued to receive great instruction despite all the changes of the past year. We’re all excited to be back to start a new semester.”
Cutlines:
Lecture room: A unique feature of the building, the large lecture room can seat over 100 individuals and features new lighting, technology, and furniture.