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A new welcome centre that provides one-stop services for St. Clair College students at the main Windsor campus has been named after Patti France, the former president of the college.
The 16,000-square-foot centre, which has been open since the beginning of the year but was officially unveiled as the Patti France Welcome Centre Monday, was a longtime quest for France, who saw the centre approved before her retirement in August. France served as president of St. Clair College for more than nine years.
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“Having this building named for me is an honour that has filled my heart,” said France in a release. “I hope this facility will serve to recognize and remember my commitment — and that of all current St. Clair employees, and those who follow in our footsteps — to our service on behalf of our cherished students.”
France pressed for the “one-stop shop” for student services during her tenure as college president but the idea was postponed as the college faced other challenges.
But France persisted.
“Patti, you were right all along,” said St. Clair College president Michael Silvaggi. “As you’ve been asserting, advocating, lobbying, begging for and demanding for at least two-thirds of your career, St. Clair has desperately needed to centralize its student services in this manner, in a facility of this scope and appearance.
“Your philosophy of providing the best services possible to students’ lives at the college has been achieved as this Welcome Centre is poised to serve students with new-and-improved convenience, efficiency and effectiveness for generations to come.”
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The welcome centre includes the registrar’s, financial aid and international student offices, academic advising services and a quiet area for students.
“The construction of new facilities of this sort carries an important message to students,” said Rishi Vatish, president of the student representative council.
“It means that the college cares deeply about providing us, not just with knowledge in our classrooms and skills in our labs and workshops, but also with exceptional services to pursue our educations.”
The services have been offered for years, but gathering access in one place means “those services have been made even better — have been made the best possible — by housing them in a setting that is so much more accessible, convenient and attractive than was previously the case,” said Vatish.
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The atrium is named after the St. Clair College Alumni Association which contributed to the funding of the centre.
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