The ribbon-cutting of the Undergraduate Learning Center for Virginia Tech’s computer science (CS) department was overseen by, left to right, Richard Benson, dean of the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech; Mark McNamee, senior vice president and provost for Virginia Tech; Barbara Ryder, head of the CS department; and Dennis Kafura, a former head and now a professor of the CS department.
Dozens of students and faculty members gathered together recently to officially open the Undergraduate Learning Center for Virginia Tech’s computer science (CS) students.
Carved out of a group of older labs and offices, the $1.2 million learning center covers much of McBryde Hall’s first floor. It features a computer lab with computers for animation, game design, cyber arts and multimedia work, a software engineering laboratory and a systems laboratory, in addition to the CS’s main offices, and space for faculty and graduate student advisers. A large lounge area with white boards and workspaces for student meetings and research projects also is included, and is the largest of the rooms.
The facility was financed by funds from the provost’s office, the College of Engineering, the department itself, and money collected from CS engineering fees from last year, the current year, and those to be collected during the following two years, according to Dennis Kafura, former head and now a professor of the CS department.
“The entire space has the overall goal of providing an integrated environment for computer science education,” Kafura said, adding that undergraduate students will use the entire area throughout their education at Virginia Tech.
Planning on the learning center began more than two years ago, and originally was to include only the sixth floor, where the CS department has space. The first floor area that now houses the learning center once included smaller labs and office. Demolition began in June 2008 and mostly finished in October, Kafura said.
At the ribbon cutting faculty and two selected undergraduate students discussed the important role the learning center will have on future student learning. CS faculty also spoke about the impact the area will have for years to come. “Finally we have a space for our students that matches the lives that they lead,” said Barbara Ryder, current head of the CS department.