MHCC Equity Center Under Construction
What’s up with the construction going on in the Main Mall courtyard, where the former campus bookstore stood? Last August, MHCC’s student basic needs team revealed plans for a new Equity Center, stating that the center “meet the needs of students who are looking for a place to relax, study, meet, eat, and access resources.”
The team elaborated on the new area, which hopefully will open early in 2024.
“It will be a multi-faceted space, featuring the (Barney’s) food pantry, housing support, and other resources such as laptops and hotspots,” noting plans to give the facility a “living room” feel. Traci Simmons, MHCC Associate Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, added that the new center “…expands on the existing student spaces, welcoming children and families, while also providing a place to eat and build community.
“We also want this center to be a centralized location where all of the resources available to students are within reach,” Simmons said.
The equity center project was awarded over $1.2 million in funding from multiple sources. It received $600,000 from the federal American Rescue Plan Act, $423,600 in Oregon state capital construction funds, and $199,000 from the MHCC Foundation.
Renders provided by Opsis Architecture
I graduated in 2020. Where is the student bookstore now? I’m talking some noncredit computer classes winter term.
Currently, there is no physical bookstore on the MHCC Gresham campus. An online MHCC bookstore is available to buy books for your courses. Hope this helps!