Chandler-Gilbert Community College: New Coyote Center Strives to Impact Student Success

December
2014
Member Spotlight

Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC) recently celebrated the grand opening of the Coyote Center, a new multi-functional facility serving as the front door of CGCC's Pecos Campus. The new 74,859-square-foot center is one of just a few buildings in the nation to innovatively blend academics, athletics, enrollment services, and student affairs into one location.

The building was designed around a new model of student service that eliminates inefficiencies, like waiting in multiple lines. By combining most administrative resources under one roof and training staff to handle a broader range of services, students can address things like registration, financial aid, and other enrollment service matters in one location.

The innovative Coyote Center design also creates efficiencies by maximizing the utility of each physical space. Many of the spaces can be easily reconfigured to adapt to the ever-changing needs of higher education. For instance, a daytime student waiting area becomes the lobby for an athletics game in the evening. Classrooms transform into a group fitness space or a hospitality suite for an athletics game.

"Students and what they need to succeed are at the heart of our design process and the Coyote Center impacts the student experience from the first time they walk in the door," said Linda Lujan, President of Chandler-Gilbert Community College. "We want to respect students' time and provide them with the most efficient process possible to complete the administrative side of attending college so they can focus on their studies."

Athletics has been greatly impacted with the addition of the Coyote Center on campus, allowing the centralization of all nine athletic teams and their coaching staff to one campus. A new gymnasium, located in the center of the building, is now the largest gathering space for athletic, college, or community events, with bleacher seating for 1,000. This area also includes six new locker rooms, a 4,000-square-foot fitness center featuring state-of-the-art equipment, and a new outdoor turf field.

"We feel the Coyote Center will be a difference-maker in our pursuit of local student athletes," said Ed Yeager, Athletic Director at CGCC. "Not only will our athletes have access to latest and greatest athletic and fitness equipment, but they will also have access to the new Human Performance Office and Lab which offers a variety of support to student athletes as they pursue their academic and athletic careers at CGCC."

The Coyote Center was also designed to meet the needs of the college's ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability. The building incorporates many sustainable operations that make it certifiable LEED Gold rating. Examples of sustainable operations include the use of a sophisticated climate and lighting control system, the reuse and retention of rain water, a solar heating system, and the use of LED technology. The facility was completed on time and under budget with the full cost of $28.6 million coming from the public's approval of the 2004 General Obligation Bond Funds.

The official grand opening event for the Coyote Center was held on September 24, 2014, and featured more than 150 guests including Maricopa County Community College District speakers, elected officials, the Coyote Center architects, and construction company, college and student representatives. 

Click here to learn more about Coyote Center.