New students and those returning to Ohio University Pickerington Center will have more space than ever, thanks to an expansion project that extended into spring quarter.
            The project, which included a Student Success Center, a Tutoring and Testing Center and student lounge area, triples the original space utilized by the Center when it welcomed students fall quarter, 2000.
            In addition to addressing enrollment growth, the needs of individual students were considered.  Bright hallway windows and nooks house comfortable chairs for studying and inviting areas for relaxing between classes. “Commuting students need space to hang out,” observed Leigh Atkinson, Ph.D., director of the Pickerington Center.
            The Student Success Center also caters to students and is open “whenever the Center is open.” It houses computers and printers, research materials, and more study space suited to group work and projects.
The Center became especially creative with a vending area that can assume a bookstore identity at the beginning of each quarter.  Follett Bookstore staff from the Lancaster Campus set up shop in Pickerington to sell textbooks, another effort to meet students’ needs, according to Atkinson.
            More newly renovated space houses the Tutoring and Testing Center, which offers three rooms for test taking – a necessity for the many students enrolled in online courses – and one room for tutoring and small group work.
            With the addition of ten computers, the Center now has nearly 40, and has hired a part-time Computer Science Technology intern to assist students and staff. Atkinson also points out the SMART classrooms, offering high tech teaching and learning environments.
            Ohio University Lancaster began offering classes in what is now Pickerington Central High School nearly 30 years ago, and opened the Pickerington Center in fall, 2000. The Center purchased the two buildings at 12933 Stonecreek Drive in 2001.
            The Pickerington Center now offers 60 courses – from accounting to women’s studies – every quarter and is open 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday during summer sessions.
            Note: Ohio University Pickerington Center’s parking lot will close in early August for resealing. The recycling trailer will not be available during that time.