The Curry College Learning Commons Opens Second Phase

On September 4, 2019, the new Curry College Learning Commons, featuring the state-of-the-art Science and Research Center, opened in its second phase. 

At a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the campus community on Wednesday, Curry College President Kenneth K. Quigley, Jr. thanked all involved in making the Learning Commons a reality, including many members of the faculty and administration, and expressed his conviction that the building will make a significant contribution to student success at the College now and in the future.

Photo Gallery: Learning Commons Ribbon-Cutting and Opening

Related: Curry College Learning Commons Opens First Phase

The first phase, which opened in January 2019, included Active Learning classrooms, Advising and Academic Success offices, new student collaboration and 24/7 study space, and new labs for physics, organic chemistry and biology, and chemistry research.

Phase Two of The Learning Commons includes:

• The Learning Commons Café (serving Starbucks® coffee products)
• The Quantitative Commons to support curricular and co-curricular programming in math, statistics, and quantitative reasoning
• Seminar rooms
• The Writing Center, Speaking Center, Academic Enrichment Center, and Study Away Programs
• Math, Science, and Peer Tutoring
• Assistive Technology Lab
• Disability Services
• New science labs for: Anatomy & Physiology, Microbiology, Cell and Molecular Biology
• Faculty offices
• Additional Student Collaboration and 24/7 Study Space

After opening remarks by President Quigley and College Provost David Szczerbacki, the ribbon cutting commenced, aided by distinguished alumna and Curry College Board of Trustees Vice Chair Kathryn M. Sardella ’67, M.Ed. ’81, first-year students Zachary Pizzano and Candace Wallace, Associate Professor of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Dr. Stephanie Walker, and Sarah Shane, Curry's Director of Advising & Student Success.

The building was then opened for self-guided tours where visitors could see first-hand how students, faculty, and staff will utilize and benefit from the newest building on campus. PAL Peer Mentors and Mobile Learning Mentors demonstrated new technology in the collaboration spaces and group study rooms on the ground level and first floor.

Peer Advisors and other Academic Services staff, as well as various science faculty, welcomed the Curry community to their respective areas, including state-of-the-art laboratories throughout the building.

A demonstration of the brand new virtual dissector was of particular interest to science and technology enthusiasts in the Curry community. Professor Nick Jarjoura showed how the human-sized device could virtually unlock mysteries of human anatomy previously only gleaned from the dissection of human cadavers. The tool will be used primarily in anatomy and physiology labs, as well as for forensics and biology courses.

Watch: Dr. Nick Jarjoura gives demonstration of new virtual dissector

Along with enhanced classroom experiences like these, science students now have the advantage of more meaningful one-on-one and small group interactions with faculty members for research projects, preparing them for real world settings. These new spaces are equipped with the tools to support this learning, including the latest in laboratory and data analysis equipment. Curry’s forward focus on the sciences was the key driving force in the development of this new facility.

The Learning Commons was designed to support the success of every student at Curry by providing a space and tools that facilitate the College’s approach to teaching and learning through mentoring and empowering students to help them achieve their ambitions. This powerful new feature of the Curry campus is an embodiment of the College’s mission and strategic vision for the future.