Since 2015, students in the music program have called the Campus Services Building home. After months of renovations, the building now includes a new dedicated, multipurpose performance and rehearsal space.
Campus Services room 130, which once housed the campus Copy Center, has been recently expanded and completely renovated into a fully-equipped music performance and learning space. As part of the continuous campus improvement plan, this new space will allow students to practice, perform, and learn while safely social distancing.
“Students are excited about the new space – and it is a beautiful new space and a huge need in our department,” said Brenda Dawe, Chair of the Music and Theater Arts Department. “We finally have a space large enough to accommodate all of the students safely and can give the students what they require to earn a proper music degree.”
Emily Woughter, a student in the Health Studies program, also has a passion for music and takes music courses to supplement her degree. “The space that we had before was cramped and it was difficult to fit everyone inside,” she explains, “sometimes we even had students with instruments in the hallway.”
Ahakeem Lynch-Miller, a Sound Engineering student said, “There is a lot more space and we don’t have to carry our instruments back and forth to different places, we can just come in and play, it’s nice.”
With large space on campus at a premium, the students in the music program often struggled to find areas large enough to accommodate learning and rehearsals that students require to complete their degree. “It was a huge need in the department,” said Brenda “it took us a while to get here, but we are delighted and grateful to be able to have this wonderful space.”
The creation of the new multipurpose performance and learning area highlights the importance of base aid and state investment on campus. Such funds are critical when it comes to creating program-appropriate classroom space. In addition to the state funding, the BCC Foundation provided generous financial support that assisted with the cost of fully transforming CS 130 into a fully equipped, state-of-the-art music learning room.
“Our gift helped to leverage a 1:1 match in state funding for this new state of the art program space, including the performance space, and rehearsal rooms which will not only showcase our very talented current students but can assist in helping to recruit new students to our program,” explained Cathy Williams, Executive Director of the Broome Community College Foundation. “Additionally, we are so pleased that the leadership of Brenda Dawe, program chair, has increased the value of our financial investment by using her expertise to create a vision of a modern and technically proficient performance space.”
With a vision of student-centered learning and success, the SUNY Broome Music and Theater Arts Department is committed to serving the needs of a diverse student population who want to turn their passion for music into an exciting and fulfilling career. “The new music rehearsal room will allow our excellent music faculty to fully prepare students for transfer to senior institutions in addition to concerts and performances both on and off-campus, said Micheal Kinney Ed.D. Associate Vice President and Dean of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies.” The room sends a strong message to the community that SUNY Broome is committed to offering its students a first-rate college experience.“
Watch the video to hear what faculty think about the new rehearsal space on campus!
