With shovels in hand, Mesa Community College (MCC) President Dr. Richard Daniel, Mesa City Councilmembers Francisco Heredia and Jennifer Duff, and faculty and staff symbolically broke ground on the new Workforce Development Corridor.
More than 200 guests, including students, alumni and community partners, attended the April 17 ceremony at the Southern and Dobson Campus to celebrate a major milestone in the college's commitment to innovation, workforce development and student success - the establishment of two new modern facilities: a 15,000-square-foot Veterinary Technology and Sustainable Horticulture building, set to open in spring 2028, and a 30,000-square-foot Welding Technology building, scheduled to open in fall 2028.
MCC President, Dr. Richard Daniel, remarked during the ceremony, "The Workforce Development Corridor represents a bold and strategic investment in the students we serve and the industries that power our region. These facilities are not just buildings, they are bridges between education and employment."
Designed to meet growing workforce demand, the new spaces will expand hands-on training across three programs: Welding Technology, Veterinary Technology and Sustainable Horticulture.
The Welding Technology program will increase training capacity by approximately 40%, with expanded lab space and instruction in pipe welding, fabrication, orbital welding and robotics, along with dedicated areas to support student wellbeing. Veterinary Technology will add a surgical suite, clinical treatment lab, radiology, indoor and outdoor animal housing and a dog run, bringing off-site training back to campus.
Sustainable Horticulture will focus on environmental responsibility. The future of high-quality crops and plants, including those used for medicine and food, will be grown indoors in environmentally controlled facilities that use less water and can produce far more than traditional methods.
"Why do these facilities matter? Because they create opportunity," said MCC Dean of Instruction Michael Voss. ''They modernize training, strengthen workforce pipelines and most importantly, they help students earn credentials that lead to real jobs in industries that rely on a highly skilled workforce."
During the ceremony, welding students demonstrated their skills in a welding simulation, highlighting MCC's Associate in Applied Science in Welding, the only one across the Maricopa County Community College District.
"Here in the East Valley, demand for highly trained welders continues to grow and our responsibility is clear: prepare students not just to enter the workforce, but to lead in it," said MCC Welding Program Director Michael Farley. "This new Center of Excellence will allow us to expand training capacity, integrate emerging technologies and strengthen partnerships with industry."
The event also honored the memory of MCC welding student Cade Keller. His parents, Megan Keller and Brian Cooper, have supported MCC students through the Cade Keller Scholarship Fund and helped implement the "See Something, Say Something" suicide awareness initiative, reinforcing a culture of care within the program.
The ceremony focused on optimism for the future, reflected in the opportunities these new facilities will provide for students. "I have the privilege of working with students who are deeply passionate about animal health and welfare," said Veterinary Technology Program Director Kimberly Focht. "Today's celebration is a tangible investment in those dreams." Sustainable Horticulture Program Director Peter Conden added, "What we're celebrating is more than a facility - it's a shared commitment to sustainability, workforce development and the future of our community. I often talk with students about the idea that sustainability isn't a trend, it's a responsibility."
60 FOR THE FUTURE: Building Talent, Powering Our Workforce
Public investment in the Workforce Development Corridor is being brought to life through the generosity of donors who believe in the power of education to transform lives and strengthen communities.
Through our Power of 60 Challenge, launched during MCC's 60th anniversary, we invite our community and alumni to invest in student opportunity and the future of this region. Today, $363,000 has been raised toward our $1.2 million goal for the Veterinary Technology and Sustainable Horticulture building.
This investment is more than a facility -it's a workforce solution. It will expand hands-on training, strengthen pathways to high-demand careers, and help meet the evolving needs of our regional economy.