One college is moving out and another is moving in.
Stark State College plans to temporarily open its new Akron campus in January in the building that currently houses Brown Mackie College. Brown Mackie announced earlier this month that it will close its West Akron location Oct. 31 after failing to renew its lease at 755 White Pond Drive.
The building, located just off Interstate 77, will provide Stark State with a temporary spot for its Akron campus until a new facility is built in downtown Akron at Perkins and Market streets.
“We’ve received countless calls from interested students every week since making the announcement about Stark State College Akron last spring,” Stark State President Para Jones said in a news release provided exclusively to the Beacon Journal. “This temporary location enables us to begin serving student needs immediately.”
Stark State will lease three of four floors, or about 34,000 square feet, of the White Pond building, which already has classrooms and laboratories.
Don Mullen, department chair of accounting and finance and interim dean of business and information technology, has been named executive director of Stark State College Akron.
The lifelong Akron resident and retired Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. executive is excited to help bring Stark State to his hometown.
“The community will benefit greatly from the quality associate degrees and certificates we offer in high-growth, high-demand fields at an affordable price,” he said in the release.
Stark State will offer day and evening classes Monday through Friday at the temporary site.
The college soon will announce enrollment days and admission office hours, but students can register now for spring classes at www.starkstate.edu/akron or by calling 330-494-6170, ext. 4228. Space is limited to the first 1,000 students. For more information, email info@starkstate.edu.
Stark State has partnered with Akron Children’s Hospital to offer several programs for the hospital’s employees.
In May, the college announced plans for the Akron campus, a new education and workforce training center that will be built on 11 acres along state Route 8 at the Perkins Street exit with access from East Market Street.
The $12 million, 30,000-square-foot satellite campus is expected to be completed by January 2018, said Marisa Rohn, executive director of advancement marketing and the Stark State College Foundation Office.
Akron City Council approved a lease-to-purchase deal with the college in June for 10.8 acres of Perkins Street property for $949,380 with the school making annual payments over a 20-year period. The college is amassing more property for the project.
“I am happy to see Stark State College Akron have the ability to get started so soon,” Mayor Dan Horrigan said in the release.
Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at 330-996-3705, swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com or on Twitter: @swarsmithabj.