By Melissa Robinson
Contributing Editor

  Southern Crescent Technical College in Griffin held the grand opening of the new medical technology building last Thursday morning. Several hundred people attended the ceremony that was marked by an official ribbon cutting, several brief speeches and tours of the new facility. Representatives from the city of Griffin, as well as from Spalding County, the state of Georgia and various organizations were on hand to take part in the celebration.

Dr. Randall L. Peters, President of Southern Crescent Technical College, opens the door for a guest at the new Medical Technology Building.                           Photo by Mickie Jackson

  The new 80,000 square foot Medical Technology Building located on the Griffin Campus of Southern Crescent Technical College will house the Dental Assisting, Medical Assisting, Orthopedic Technology, Pharmacy Technology, Practical Nursing, Radiologic Technology, Respiratory Care Technology, Surgical Technology, Emergency Medical Technician and Para-medicine programs.

  The building has 12 classrooms, two biology labs, and a chemistry lab to support these allied health programs. The second and third floors contain office suites that will house faculty and staff, along with an executive office for the academic dean responsible for the college’s medical related programs of study. Construction costs were approximately $15 million with $2.5 million allocated to furnish and equip the facility.

  According to Dr. Randall L. Peters, President of Southern Crescent Technical College, the new medical technology building was twelve years in the making and is a state-of-the-art facility.

  “We are so very fortunate, coming from where we were to where we are in the training process. This facility will give us new capacity, new state of the art equipment and the ability to teach students in a dramatically improved way,” said Peters. “If it was just us, we couldn’t do it, but it’s because of the community support we get that we are able to accomplish something like this. We’re very proud.”

  Peters said he is looking forward to breaking ground on Southern Crescent’s new campus, to be located in Henry County, adjacent to Henry County High School. He said he expects the official groundbreaking to take place on January 10 and the first building is expected to be completed by this time next year.

  For more information on Southern Crescent Technical College, visit www.sctech.edu.