Normandale Community College

Creating a Hub for Collaboration and Student Services

The goal of the Classroom and College Services Center renovation is to improve Normandale’s ability to serve students through the transformation of the complex and difficult to navigate College Services Building. This phased, large renovation improved the experience for first generation college students, increased retention and assisted students in achieving their educational goals. Creating a centralized Student Service Hub simplified the academic support process and allowed staff more time to work more effectively with students. Serving over 34 different academic departments, this project updates more than one-third of the total classrooms on campus for active learning, while bringing additional student study and collaborative space into the building.

Throughout the building, the renovation created a variety of flexible spaces for students to gather and study. Campus wide resources like the student service hub, tutoring center, computer lab and cafe are clustered around the new commons, providing visibility and easy access while enlivening the building core. Open seating and alcoves distributed throughout the building created break out opportunities for coursework and provide space for students to study individually, collaborate with peers, and to engage with faculty.