College of Education celebrates new Education Complex

Fort Worth, TX

9/4/2007

TCU and the College of Education will host a dedication ceremony for the new J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation Education Complex on Saturday, Sept. 15. The ceremony will be followed by an open house, including interactive demonstrations and presentations by TCU students and faculty.

"This is a most exciting day for the College of Education at TCU. Our facilities now match the quality of our faculty, staff, and students," says Sam Deitz, the school's dean. "Our programs preparing teachers, counselors, special educators, and educational leaders will be enhanced with these new facilities as will the research and productivity of our faculty."

The restoration of the Bailey Building and the construction of the new Betsy and Steve Palko Hall completed the Mabee Foundation Education Complex. The ceremony will recognize the building name donors, including J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation, Inc. and Mr. and Mrs. Steffen Palko, and numerous other supporters. TCU and the College of Education were able to raise $11.5 million, which exceeded its original goal of $10.2 million. The project broke ground in April 2006 and was completed in time for the fall 2007 semester.

The new Mabee Foundation Education Complex houses 10 additional classrooms plus a 150-seat lecture hall, conference rooms, patio and lounge areas for students, offices for faculty and staff and the latest in teaching technology and laboratories. The plans called for the complete restoration of the Bailey Building at 12,864 square-feet, combined with the construction of a new 23,271 square-foot building to the immediate west, bringing the total square footage to 36,135.

The addition of the new building tripled the space of the College of Education. The existing building was completely restored to its original façade and the interior reconfigured. A three-story glass atrium joined the Bailey Building to the Betsy and Steve Palko Hall and included a much-needed elevator to improve accessibility.

Classrooms and offices throughout the complex are connected with both wired and wireless technology to ensure the most advanced and flexible capabilities. The facilities were designed to transmit and receive information, especially for in-service development courses for teachers. Some of the rooms were designed to simulate actual teaching environments, providing a great opportunity for education students to learn in a real-world environment. In addition, the building's classrooms were designed with the help and input of the professors who teach there.

"The College of Education is proud to have such an excellent facility to continue its progress toward preparing educators to meet the challenges and realities of the 21st century," Sam concludes. "This new complex ensures that teachers from TCU are prepared in facilities equal to or better than those in which they will teach."