November 14, 2015 – As part of Chesapeake College’s ongoing 50th Anniversary commemoration, President Barbara Viniar and Mayor Victoria Jackson Stanley officially unveiled façade improvements and new exhibits at the school’s Cambridge Center on Saturday, Nov. 14 during Second Saturday. Sen. Addie Eckardt and Cambridge Main Street Association President Tom Hutchinson joined in the ribbon cutting.
Local officials and community members attended the event and also celebrated the opening of the new Leggett Gallery.
The Mayor thanked Dr. Viniar for her leadership and vision. “This is a wonderful opportunity to bring life and beauty to downtown. I’m so proud of this partnership,” she said.
Sen. Eckardt said the center is vital to the economic development of the area, allowing local students to train for careers and prepare to transfer into bachelor’s degree programs.
Developed in response to suggestions by downtown businesses and Main Street members that the college better utilize its Race Street side to showcase the school’s programs, the window displays feature Chesapeake’s new recruitment campaign, “Your time. Your place.”
“In planning our new marketing campaign, we met with dozens of stakeholders in Dorchester County who asked us to make the Cambridge Center a vibrant and active community partner,” said Lucie Hughes, Vice President for Institutional Advancement. “Their suggestions included creating a day-time destination, increasing Race Street’s curb appeal, and capitalizing on the 50’ of retail space to market our programs.” She added that many people also suggested the school partner with local organizations such as Cambridge Main Street and participate in special events like Second Saturdays.
Sporting a bright new awning emblazoned with ‘Chesapeake College Cambridge Center,’ the façade is enhanced by new exhibits and an enhanced entry. The four large display windows feature colorful graphics with life-size student images and information on Chesapeake’s degree, career and continuing education programs. The entryway welcomes students and visitors with inviting visuals and photographs now line the main corridor.
“As President of Cambridge Main Street and a member of the Chesapeake College Foundation, I participated in the focus groups for the 50th anniversary planning and am very pleased that Lucie and her team heard our comments and decided to make a statement downtown,” said Tom Hutchinson, Vice President, Quality Health Strategies.
During the festivities, officials also cut the ribbon of the new Leggett Gallery, named for the former department store that once occupied the building. Presenting work by local photographers, the gallery was another suggestion made during the anniversary planning. The inaugural installation features 12 images by Cambridge resident Jill Jasuta whose work has appeared at the Dorchester Center for the Arts, Main Street Gallery, and many regional magazines.
Designed by Choptank Communications, the Cambridge based marketing firm that produced the 50th anniversary campaign, the façade improvements were developed by Andrea Vernot. The exhibits were installed by Chesapeake alum Jason Warfield, owner of Hurlock based Mid Shore Graphics.
Located at 418 Race Street, opened in 1994 in the former Leggett’s Department Store, the Cambridge Center is a full service satellite of Chesapeake College. Offering dozens of classes on site, the center operates a distance learning lab and state of the art computer lab for students enrolled in both credit and non-credit classes.
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