Homestead Campus Unveils New Student Success Center
Following a nearly $40 million investment and seven years of work, Homestead Campus’ Student Success Center is finally here.
Located to the east of Homestead City Hall, the 60,000-square feet facility was inaugurated during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Aug. 15.
It includes a conference room, an art gallery, an entrepreneurship institute, the Honors College and the campus’ admissions, financial aid and advisement departments.
Homestead Campus first opened its doors to the community in 1985 serving 350 students out of First Baptist Church. The new building is the biggest addition to the campus in more than two decades.
“This will be a dream factory,” said Miami Dade College President Madeline Pumariega. “It’ll be a place where [students] convene with our world-class faculty and ensure that they have everything toward a path of prosperity.”
Planning for the project started in 2016 after the City of Homestead approved the transfer of the abandoned Carrie Meek Center for Business to MDC in an effort to revitalize Downtown Homestead.
In August of 2017, the transfer of the 26,603 square-foot of land was finalized by then College president Eduardo J. Padrón and Homestead Vice Mayor Jon Burgess.
With a budget of $39.9 million, construction commenced in October of 2021, but the school encountered various obstacles.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the installment of the building’s chilling system was delayed by 36 weeks because supplies were hard to get.
Construction was once again halted at the start of 2022 after the company’s founder fell ill. Four months later, the project was picked up by architectural firm VIA and they switched the flooring from vinyl composite tile to porcelain tile from Italy.
However, following an accident with the truck drivers transporting the tile to the shipping port in Italy, the material was severely damaged, forcing the delivery to be further delayed.
As the College’s needs transformed throughout the seven years of construction, more changes took place. Office space on the second floor was converted into study rooms for students; the Café on the first floor was originally slated to be a bookstore.
Despite the setbacks, campus leaders believe the Student Success building is a testament to resilience.
“Everything in life works out the way it’s supposed to, even if you don’t see it that way,” said director of campus administration Laura Rodriguez, who oversaw the finishes of the building for the last year. “You have obstacles in your life, but you overcome them and you have something beautiful in the end.”
The first floor consists of the admissions and registration department, financial aid, ACCESS: A Comprehensive Center for Exceptional Student Services and the bursar’s office.
It also features a space for students to socialize and the newly created Finn’s Café, which will serve grab-and-go items like empanadas, wraps, pastries, smoothies and coffee.
Previously located in building F, the Honors College lounge and office space is now on the second floor of the Student Success Center.
The floor also includes a computer lab, study rooms, classrooms and offices for advisement, recruitment and the dean of students.
Housed on the third floor is the entrepreneurship institute. It includes an Idea Center with a conference and learning room and an Innovation Lab with a classroom space. The 2,400-square-foot facility will promote small businesses and economic development through workshops and speaker events.
A new testing center sits across from the entrepreneurship institute. It has a registration space for Pearson computer tests and three testing rooms.
Previously located on the first floor of building B, the School of Continuing Education & Professional Development now resides to the left of the testing center.
The fourth floor will feature a terrace with a view of Homestead City Hall view, a conference room that can accommodate 308 people and an art gallery showcasing student, faculty and local artist works.
The Student Success Center, which pays tribute to Roy Gene Phillips—the campus’ founding president—will be open for students on Aug. 21, the first day of the fall semester.
“Dr. Phillips is looking down on us this morning, beaming with pride and seeing that the seed he helped plant and cultivate has grown into this incredible building,” said Homestead Mayor Steven Losner during the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Staff writer Juan S. Gomez contributed to this story.
Click here to subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, The Hammerhead. For news tips, contact us at mdc.thereporter@gmail.com.
