Crowder College is building its second campus building in Joplin. The new building will expand teaching capabilities with hands-on technical classrooms for specialized healthcare, skilled welding, and advanced manufacturing.
The building is in the former Victory Ministry Sports Complex, situated off Highway 49. Sam's Club, a B&B Theatre, and an apartment complex are right by the property.
The goal is to increase the visibility of Crowder College in Joplin.
The College currently has two locations in the area: Joplin's Advanced Training and Technology Building and its main campus in Neosho.
The new project will move and expand classes operating from the Advanced Training and Technology Building. Melissa Smith, Director of Career and Technical Services for Joplin's Campus at Crowder, said the Institution is 'running out of room' on its current campuses.
She hopes this new campus will bridge the gap in the area's career demands.
"We are uniquely presented or positioned at this location to be able to meet the demands of the workforce, but also with our amazing faculty and staff and our advisors and support staff," she explained.
The construction site includes two stories of office spaces, classrooms for advanced education, and a lobby area.
One of the new classes is Robotics. Amy Kauffman with the Missouri College and Attainment Network said artificial intelligence is now filling a shortage in the workforce. Teaching that skill will help students get ahead.
"And so, the fact that Crowder is nimble enough to be able to create these trainings to fulfill our workers needs is great, because we just need more and more training in our technology field, engineering robotics, that's a growing industry here," she said.
Another curriculum addition includes increased forklift training.
Once the campus is operational, it will have 10 full-time faculty members, five adjunct professors, and contracted trainers.
Crowder College is a two-year community college in Southwest Missouri, serving a nine-county region and the surrounding states. According to a press release about the new building, the College provides Instructional Centers in McDonald County, just north of the Arkansas state line, as well as in Cassville, Webb City, Nevada, and Joplin.
The building’s property was purchased in 2023.
Construction started in August 2024 with a $20 million renovation. The state received $6 million from the American Rescue Plan Act as part of the original purchase. The building is opening for the Spring 2026 semester in January.
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