MCC's new science center now open for classes
McHenry County College students begin classes this week in the state-of-the-art Liebman Science Center now open for the fall semester.
Nearly 200 people, including donors, faculty, staff, community members and Friends of MCC Foundation, toured the facilities Friday, Aug. 17.
"This is a jewel in the crown of the community," MCC President Clint Gabbard said. "It's one thing to build a building. It's another to fill it with students … that's when it really comes alive. We're going to have around 5,000 students at MCC in fall and spring semesters combined … 70 percent of them are going to take a class in that science center."
The $17 million center was funded through more than $7 million in donations, college funds and student fees. The two-story, 40,867-square-foot building - on MCC's Crystal Lake campus off Route 14 - includes more than 22,000 square feet of classroom and laboratory space for the physical and life sciences. It houses science labs, a new cadaver lab, a student resource lab, two lecture halls, prep rooms, student collaboration spaces, a weather center and a larger planetarium.
Few suburban community colleges have cadaver labs - College of DuPage, College of Lake County, and Waubonsee.
MCC students who previously learned about anatomy and physiology by dissecting cats now will get to work on donated human cadavers.
"That's a real quantum leap when it comes to giving these students exposure to systems," Gabbard said.
Officials are working with a four-year Illinois university to host a cadaver camp at MCC next summer. Students from both institutions can work together to prosection a cadaver, which can take 50 to 100 hours. Officials also plan to invite high school biology instructors and their students to watch and learn.
"We also could work with people in the community that would like to learn about human anatomy," said Marla Garrison, MCC biology instructor.
MCC's science center offers courses in biology, anatomy and physiology, chemistry, physics and pre-engineering, and earth science, meteorology and astronomy. It also will support students enrolled in health care degree programs, including nursing, occupational therapy assistant, health information technology, emergency medical technician, basic nursing assistant, patient care technician and physical therapist assistant program.
The new weather center is fully functioning and a significant upgrade from the "broom closet" in which it was housed for 15 years, Gabbard said.
"We are going to create internships for students who are studying with us right now at the weather center," he said.
The college's expanded planetarium grew from 20 seats to 45 seats and now can accommodate people with disabilities. Its exterior window features one of the first images of deep space from the Hubble telescope.
Officials plan to bring in groups of community members and students from local K-12 districts for special presentations and astronomical viewings weekly at the planetarium to inspire them to pursue future careers in science.
"My dream is for every grade school, middle school kid to come through our planetarium," said MCC resident meteorologist Paul Hamill, who teaches astronomy, meteorology and natural hazards and disasters. There also will be nighttime shows and weekend sky events for students and community members. "We've already got groups lined up," he added.
This fall, MCC is launching a Liebman Science Center Speaker Series featuring topics such as molecular gastronomy, astronomy, broadcasting of weather and paleontology. The college also will offer $10,000 grants for students interested in pursuing degrees in STEM fields over five years.