Dalton State College students, faculty, staff and guests celebrated the completion of renovations to Shirley and Alan Lorberbaum Hall with a ribbon cutting ceremony on August 22.
“This renovation sets the stage for continued success in serving our students,” President John M. Fuchko, III, said. “In addition to supporting a variety of liberal arts programs that are critical to our core curriculum, it houses our communications program that offers concentrations in film, digital media, and organizational communication leadership, as well as a film concentration through the Georgia Film Academy.”
Other speakers at the event included Jeff Lorberbaum, Chairman and CEO of Mohawk Industries; Sandra Neuse, chief facilities officer for the University System of Georgia; and State Representative Kasey Carpenter.
Original construction for Lorberbaum Hall began in 1997; it was completed in August 1999. Designed as a three story, 50,000 square-foot complex, housing 21 classrooms, nine labs, and 50 faculty offices, it doubled the college’s existing educational capabilities at the time and was named in honor of Shirley and Alan Lorberbaum in 2001.
“In 1963, Alan and Shirley were strong advocates for establishing a college in Dalton,” Lorberbaum said in describing his parents. “The flooring industry was growing, and they recognized our community needed a local alternative so that higher education was affordable and accessible for area residents. I’m not sure that sixty years ago anyone could have dreamed of what Dalton State has become.”
With the renovation of Lorberbaum Hall, nearly every building on the Dalton State campus has either been renovated or newly constructed in the last decade.
This past year, the Wall Street Journal recognized Dalton State as #1 in the Nation for Student Experience, and one of the factors leading to that recognition was the quality of our facilities and the way they support student success.
Dalton State serves more than 5,000 students through campuses in Dalton and Ellijay and online. The college offers 24 bachelor’s degree programs and seven associate degrees.
