Three Rivers staff gets peek at new Sikeston facility

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Members of Three Rivers College faculty and staff received a sneak peek Friday of the institution's new Sikeston campus.

The three-story, 40,000-square-foot structure will replace a converted racquet ball court with about 8,000 square feet of usable space where classes are held.

"It's a great opportunity for the college to further serve the community," said director Missy Marshall.

The college will take possession of the $7 million facility in November, with classes scheduled to begin in January.

The new building has five computer labs, with one devoted to a nursing program.

It brings more than 120 computers to a campus used to operating with fewer than 50, Marshall said.

"We have a number of students who do not have regular access to a computer or to appropriate bandwidth," Marshall said during the tour. "Our curriculum is being more and more computer-driven, and the [current] computer labs are tied up all day long."

The new facility will have 18 rooms, including computer and science labs, three specialty classrooms and regular classrooms. There are eight labs and classrooms in the current facility. The entire third floor will be devoted to the nursing program.

Space for administration also will expand. At the current building, advisers and other staff work from a combined space about the size of one of the new classrooms, Marshall said.

The larger campus will allow the Sikeston program to offer more classes, Marshall said. The Sikeston campus serves about 500 students.