Austin Community College will join its friends and neighbors in Elgin to celebrate the groundbreaking of phase II of its Elgin Campus Tuesday, October 11, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on the campus grounds.

Community and college leaders, Elgin ISD students, and other special guests will gather to mark the beginning of construction of facilities for ACC’s Veterinary Technology and Sustainable Agriculture Entrepreneurship programs.

RSVP here for the groundbreaking celebration.

“Since opening three years ago the ACC Elgin Campus has been a focal point for our community,” says Elgin Mayor Chris Cannon. “From early college high school classes to continuing education programs, the college represents opportunity for our residents. We’re excited to be a part of its growth.”

The new building will include a surgical clinic and small animal wards for ACC’s vet tech program.

The new construction will add an 18,500-square-foot academic building with teaching spaces, a surgical clinic and small animal wards for the vet tech program, and a processing kitchen and market to support the campus’ working farm.

The college also is building an 11,000-square-foot outbuilding that will house a tractor maintenance workshop and space for washing and handling crops. It will include covered pens for large animals, treatment stocks and a cattle chute, and areas to store hay, animal feed, and farm implements.

Scheduled to open in spring 2018, the facilities will provide needed training space that adheres to government and accreditation requirements for the vet tech and agriculture programs.

New facilities will support the Elgin Campus working farm, which already includes a 1,400-square-foot greenhouse.

“There is a need for high-skilled workers in in food, agribusiness, and agricultural fields,” says Vice President of Instruction Mike Midgley. “Students will be able to develop specialized technical skills to go with knowledge in land stewardship and operating a business.”

Andrea Munoz, president of ACC’s Veterinary Technology Student Association, says the new facilities will be a welcome addition for students who can practice what they’re learning without having to travel to clinics around the region.

“Having a building right here where we can work, learn, and get hands-on experience is critical to getting prepared,” she says. “It will help get people’s feet wet in the realities and responsibilities of being a veterinary technician.”

The Elgin Campus expansion is one of several ongoing voter-approved capital improvement projects. For updates on each of the projects, visit austincc.edu/bond.

Tags: elgin campus, Elgin groundbreaking, Elgin Phase II