Classes for the 2025 Spring Semester at Southeast Community College (SCC) in Lincoln began Jan. 21 with students and instructors utilizing the newly completed Sandhills Global Technology Center. The 65,000 square-foot building houses programs and state-of-the-art equipment to train both the next generation and the current workforce in the latest tech advancements.
SCC hosted the ribbon cutting ceremony for the $37 million project on Jan. 15. According to the college, collaborator Sandhills Global provided a $5 million gift — the largest single donation to SCC. The city of Lincoln provided $4.8 million through American Rescue Act funds, which enabled the facility to designate 5,000 square-feet to industry partner space for work-based learning.
“The reason this is so monumental is because it goes beyond the beautiful design, the stature and status this provides for the Lincoln campus and the students who walk through the doors,” said Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird.
“It’s about growing economic opportunity and the quality of life. The Sandhills Global Technology Center is a place for innovation, higher education and career creation for years to come.”
In the midst of additional projects and developments for the college, Dean of Construction, Manufacturing, Engineering and Technology Caleb Herwik said the building became a priority due to community interest. Sandhills Global and other local voices expressed a need for skilled workers — especially as technology backgrounds become increasingly applicable in all trades.
“We’re excited to continue to grow and flex our muscles,” said Herwik. “We’re not going to solve the workforce shortage just by doing the traditional things that we’ve always been doing. We want to get creative.”
The Sandhills Global Technology Center allows SCC new offerings and techniques to scale with industry needs. These include pliable spaces for various continuing education training by employers, updated classroom setups to enable remote learning, and advanced robotics and other tools to spark interest in the fields among visiting school groups.
The building itself is both physically and functionally centered on promoting diverse career pathways. Different trades taught under the same roof lead to opportunities for collaborative coursework between classes. Strategically designed ceilings and glass walls showcase classrooms, workshops and labs, as well as reveal functioning electrical work overhead and active computer servers otherwise typically tucked away in building layouts. Those enrolled and those touring the Sandhills Global Technology Center are directly exposed to jobs they might not otherwise have considered just by walking down the halls.
Biotechnology Program Co-director Tracy Niday is one of the instructors now teaching in the facility. From using microscopes with screen-sharing capabilities to simply putting on a lab coat, Niday said students working in her cutting-edge lab are opening their eyes to unique and evolving career pipelines like the bioeconomy.
“It builds their science identity,” said Niday.
For more information on SCC’s academic programs, certifications and enrollment, visit https://www.southeast.edu/index.php.