Aims to show off Windsor campus expansion

WINDSOR – Aims Community College has announced completion of its new Gateway Building and Sim City on the Windsor campus, and will host an open house from 1 to 3:30 p.m.  next Wednesday at 1000 Southgate Drive to show it off as an opportunity for the community to explore these new buildings and learn more about the educational programs offered at Aims.

Classes will begin at the new facilities on Jan. 16, the first day of the 2024 spring semester.

Aims’ $18 million expansion project on the Windsor campus began in March 2022. The Aims Windsor Campus opened in 2010 and has outgrown its current space. The expansion will accommodate more general-education classes, expand hands-on learning opportunities and provide more amenities for students.

The 38,000-square-foot, three-story Gateway Building provides additional classrooms and also will house academic simulators for criminal justice, fire science and aviation programs. It will be home to the new Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Associate of Applied Science Degree, featuring a drone fabrication and design lab. The campus is also adding a drone takeoff and landing pad area.

A welcome desk will greet students, visitors, and community members, while a learning commons will offer resources such as a library, computer lab, tutoring services and study areas. The building also will house spaces for student activities, advising, enrollment, counseling and offices. Students will have access to an outdoor patio, recreation areas and other gathering spots. Inclusivity is a priority, with amenities including a prayer room, private lactation room and gender-inclusive restrooms.

The new building also provides additional food options, such as a bistro with hot and cold breakfast options, various lunch and snack menu items, and beverages. Arty’s Pantry, the on-campus food bank to lessen student food insecurity, will have a larger space on the Windsor Campus.

The Simulated City within the training yard will provide opportunities for public safety training. Five new buildings will replicate real-world scenarios, enabling students to develop essential skills. Two simulated houses with basements, kitchens, living rooms and hallways will allow realistic training exercises. A commercial building will simulate various emergencies, from bank robberies to convenience store fires. A simulated four-way street intersection with traffic signs, stoplights and fire hydrants will enhance training scenarios. A search-and-rescue building will challenge students to navigate through hallways, attics and narrow shafts.

The expansion also includes a dedicated facility for equipment storage. Fire, police and other agencies can reserve these spaces on the Windsor Campus to conduct training exercises to make our communities safer.

Classes are held days, nights and weekends on the Windsor campus so students can learn at a time that’s most convenient for them. The site specializes in various subject areas, such as public safety, UAS and automotive technology. In addition to classes specific to their chosen program, students can complete their general education requirements on-site to make earning a degree or certificate in their field of choice as seamless as possible.

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