By Maddie Garvis//
The Hood College Board of Trustees met virtually on March 4 to approve the college’s capital budget for 2022, which includes funding for the construction of a new multimedia center planned for the third floor of Rosenstock Hall.
The project is currently in phase three, which has a total budget of $106,000. The college will provide $81,000, according to Vice President for Finance and Treasurer Chuck Mann.
The college received a grant of $25,000 from The Delaplaine Foundation in January, which will finance the remainder of the project.
Associate Professor of Journalism Elizabeth Atwood expressed her excitement over both the board’s approval of the 2022 budget and the donation from the Delaplaine Foundation.
“The Board of Trustees’ approval of funding for the media lab is wonderful news,” Atwood said. “Along with the $25,000 grant we received from the Delaplaine Foundation, we will be able to begin the construction of a state-of-the-art media facility for our students.”
The Delaplaine Foundation previously funded phase one of the project in 2017, which included the creation of the broadcast studio. Phase two, which was the creation of a media lab with a teaching station and 16 Mac computers, was also funded by the Delaplaine Foundation.
The multimedia center will be officially named the Delaplaine Foundation, Inc.Multimedia Center in recognition of the foundation’s donations to the project.
Phase three of the project is planned to start in May and will focus on building the infrastructure for the media center, including editing rooms, a photography studio, a studio for Blazer Radio, a larger television studio, a newsroom for The Blue and Grey, a playback room and lounge/meeting spaces for communications students and staff and faculty offices.
Katherine Orloff, director of the Communication Arts program, said space will benefit both the Integrated Marketing and Communications students at Hood.
“I’m excited for the opportunities students will have to work with each other and develop the professional-level skills they need in an environment that has professional-level equipment,” Orloff said.
Atwood expressed her belief that the multimedia center will also grab the interest of prospective students who are considering a major in communication arts or marketing.
“I also think this facility will help us recruit students to the college by showing it is not necessary to study at a big university to get a terrific education in communication and marketing,” Atwood said.
Tim Jacobsen, the coordinator of Hood College Broadcasting, said that he’s most looking forward to Blazer Radio, The Blue and Grey Newspaper, and Hood College Broadcasting being all in one place. “Bringing all the media outlets together will allow for increased collaboration opportunities across each platform,” Jacobsen said. “When complete, the multimedia suite will be a state-of-the-art destination that will draw potential students to Hood.”
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