Greensboro College Announces Creation of the First Citizens Bank Global Communication Center
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Greensboro College will open the First Citizens Bank Global Communication Center this fall to enhance students’ fluency in 21st-century communication skills and provide support in writing, speaking, and composing with digital media.
Named for the college’s banking partner, which funded the initiative, the new center will be located on the garden level of the James Addison Jones Library, adjacent to the Sternberger Cultural Center.
The space will be renovated to maximize accessibility for all individuals, including a redesigned main entrance from the patio outside the library. Plans for the center emphasize collaborative seating, adjustable tables and chairs, and a reconfigurable design to allow different types of learning scenarios.
The First Citizens Bank Global Communication Center significantly upgrades the writing support offered on campus. While professional writing consultations will continue to be offered in two ways — one-on-one meetings and online sessions — the new floor plan will provide a more spacious and comfortable setting for consultations, which are free to students as well as others in the college community.
Additional resources for English language learners will help both students and instructors achieve their communication goals. The center will include a recording studio for students to produce podcasts and high-quality audio; a space for video-recording student oral presentations so that students can receive feedback for improvement from an expert through the consultation system; and computer stations that allow students to produce multimedia-rich projects for courses across the curriculum using state-of- the-art software.
“A global communication center was envisioned by the college’s Degree Completion Task Force addressing the issues of progression, retention and graduation rates in undergraduate students,” said the college’s president, Lawrence D. Czarda, Ph.D.
“We are very fortunate that our banking partner, First Citizens Bank, has a keen interest in the academic success of all our students. We have first-generation college students, English language learners, online degree students, first-year students and others with unique needs. The First Citizens Bank Global Communication Center will be an important resource for all students, most of whom will benefit from advancing their academic and professional communication skills.”
Students will play a key role in “every aspect of the center’s operations,” said Dr. Kathleen Keating, chair of the Department of English, Communication & Media Studies, which will help staff the center. “Two student representatives will join the planning committee to help shape the future direction of the center, so we’ll be looking for student volunteers to start in the fall.”
The center will occupy about 3,200 square feet in the library, plus about 1,000 square feet of outdoor patio space. It will be completed over the summer and open at the beginning of the 2018-19 academic year.
“First Citizens Bank is pleased to join with Greensboro College in establishing this cutting-edge center that will allow students to develop and refine their writing and communication skills, which are so important for success in today’s world,” said Scott Baker, First Citizens senior vice president in Greensboro. “Greensboro College has been educating young people in our region for 180 years, and we’re proud to be a partner in their efforts as part of our Forever First commitment to the communities we serve.”
Founded in 1898 and headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., First Citizens Bank serves customers at more than 500 branches in 19 states. First Citizens Bank is a wholly owned subsidiary of First Citizens BancShares, Inc. (Nasdaq: FCNCA), which has $34 billion in assets.
Greensboro College provides a liberal arts education grounded in the traditions of the United Methodist Church and fosters the intellectual, social, and, spiritual development of all students while supporting their individual needs.
Founded in 1838 and located in downtown Greensboro, the college enrolls about 1,000 students from 29 states and territories, the District of Columbia, and seven foreign countries in its undergraduate liberal-arts program and four master’s degree programs. In addition to rigorous academics and a well-supported Honors program, the school features an 18-sport NCAA Division III athletic program and dozens of service and recreational opportunities.
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Media Contact:
Lex Alexander, Director of Communications
lex.alexander@greensboro.edu
Greensboro College
815 W. Market St.
Greensboro, NC 27401
336-272-7102, ext. 5398
Cell: 336-707-6617
www.greensboro.edu
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