Richland Community College broke ground at their location that will become the Clinton branch of the school.
Almost 35 years after Richland established connections in Clinton, they have now broken ground on a new site. Dr. Douglass Brauer, Vice-President of Richland Community College says this expansion is a logic step forward in the continued growth of the college. This past year, Richland celebrated their 40th anniversary of the school.
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The expansion in Clinton and DeWitt County is going to have great impacts on the community. Executive Director of the DeWitt County Development Council (DCDC), Ruth Stauffer played an instrumental role in getting Richland to expand and has worked very hard to help Richland expand in Clinton. She feels their site near the Clinton Schools is going to be a great spot for them.
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Stauffer sees many benefits to Richland's expansion in Clinton. Just a few include Richland offering workforce training locally, which will be something else to pitch to potential prospects. Also the already skilled workforce can continue educational opportunities with the coming Richland site.
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Clinton Mayor Carolyn Peters says when she first took office as the Mayor, she learned about the dream of the now Douglass subdivision and she says she took on that dream and began to work to see it become a reality. She explains she also learned the importance of TIF funds. It is because of TIF funds that the site is able to be built on.
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The Mayor recognizes the importances a community college can play in a community and she is pleased to be partnering with Richland Community College. She says not everyone is geared towards a 4-year university.
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Richland's planned 4-thousand square foot facility will be the first development at the Douglass Subdivision site. Richland officials hope to have everything ready for the fall semester of 2013. Class expansion is also planned.
Currently Richland offers very limited class selections at Clinton High School, which is the extent of their presence in Clinton.
