The M.G. & Lillie A. Johnson Foundation has awarded a $1.5 million grant to Wharton County Junior College for the construction of a new WCJC Student Commons on the Wharton campus.
WHARTON, TEXAS — Wharton County Junior College has received a $1.5 million grant from the M.G. & Lillie A. Johnson Foundation to support the construction of the new WCJC Student Commons, a multi-purpose facility that will serve as the hub for student life and community engagement on campus.
At its October Board meeting, WCJC trustees also approved the strategic allocation of $1 million toward the project, demonstrating the college’s ongoing commitment to student success and community engagement.
The Student Commons will unite key student support services and community gathering spaces under one roof. The facility will feature the college’s cafeteria and bookstore, both being relocated from an aging building, along with a new coffee bar and the WCJC Foundation offices.
At the heart of the new facility will be the Pioneer Homestead, WCJC’s Student Care Center, a concept that brings together existing student support resources in one convenient location. The Homestead will provide essential services that promote student well-being and success, including the student food pantry, lactation room, accommodated testing room and Counseling Center.
“We are profoundly grateful to the Johnson Foundation for their generous support, which represents not only an investment in our students but also in the community that we are proud to serve,” said WCJC President Dr. Amanda Allen. “This gift, together with our own commitment of college resources, strengthens our mission to open doors of opportunity, create spaces that nurture our students’ ability to thrive and further our role as an engaged partner in the community.”
“This is a wonderful gift from the Johnson Foundation, which has already been such an important benefactor to the college,” said Paul Pope, chair of the WCJC Board of Trustees. “This new building is a top priority for the board. Some of the activities to be moved to the Student Commons will be relocated from buildings that are not economically viable to remodel. It has been decades since we built a new facility on the Wharton campus and we want to give the students a space that reflects the dynamism of our college, as well as a modern and attractive addition to the Wharton campus.”
The M.G. & Lillie A. Johnson Foundation’s support directly aligns with its mission to fund education, human services and civic programs that benefit the people of the Texas Gulf Coast. WCJC’s investment and the Johnson Foundation’s grant together represent a new chapter for the college centered on student wellness and community connection.
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