ORANGEBURG, S.C. — A virtual ribbon cutting ceremony was held for the grand opening of the 1890 Research & Extension Administration and Community Facility at South Carolina State University.
The brand new 14,000 square foot facility will house six classrooms, a leadership conference room, computer lab and administrative offices.
"It’s a great addition because South Carolina State University is a land grant institution, which means we are a community university," says Dr. Louis Whitesides. "1890 is the outreach arm of the university. We do programs in 32 of the 46 counties in the state, so this building is the launching pad. All of our programs that we will offer in our local community will take place here."
Funding for the $3.3 million building came from the U.S. Department of Agriculture through the 1890 Grant Facilities Program, which provides funds for the improvement of agricultural and food sciences facilities and equipment at the nation’s historically Black land-grant colleges and universities.
"The communities that we serve are normally the underserved communities," says Whitesides. "We do a lot with land law, nutritional and health, the health of our citizens. So we are taking the university’s expertise to improve the quality of life for the citizens of South Carolina."