Grand Opening for ACC Sturm Collaboration Campus at Castle Rock is August 16

The Arapahoe Community College Sturm Collaboration Campus at Castle Rock (4500 Limelight Ave.) will celebrate its Grand Opening on Friday, August 16, from 2pm-6pm.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony will begin at 2:30pm. Enjoy an interactive tour of the new facility and meet with faculty, staff and education/industry partners. The event is open to the public. Additional parking, as well as shuttle service, will be available at Castle Rock Adventist Hospital.

The project is a joint venture among ACC, the Town of Castle Rock, the Castle Rock Economic Development Council, Colorado State University System and the Douglas County School District. The campus will bring together education, business and the community to create a unique resource for delivering seamless education and workforce training to Castle Rock and greater Douglas County. CSU and DCSD will have programs and a presence at the Sturm Collaboration Campus and will partner with ACC to create a smooth pathway from high school diploma to associate degree to bachelor’s degree.

“ACC is very excited to begin serving students, industry and the community through this very unique educational partnership,” said Dr. Diana M. Doyle, President of ACC. “The Sturm Collaboration Campus is a dynamic model for workforce development and progressive educational delivery at all levels.”

Initial educational offerings will be in the areas of Business & Entrepreneurship, Health Care, Cybersecurity and Secure Software, Information Technology/Programming, General Education and Workforce Training.

“Sturm Collaboration Campus will house CSU’s second Regional Engagement Hub in the state, focused on meeting the needs of Castle Rock residents and the surrounding community,” said Kathay Rennels, Special Advisor to the Chancellor of the CSU System on Rural/Urban Connections. “We look forward to serving the needs of students in the area with our courses, as well as being a relevant and responsive resource for the broader community.”

"This collaborative partnership between higher education, local businesses and our school district - all on one campus - is a tremendous benefit to our students," said DCSD Superintendent Thomas S. Tucker, Ph.D. "Our hope is to prepare students for tomorrow's jobs by equipping them with the skills needed to compete in the real world through both career and vocational training. School districts cannot do it alone - we need a strong community partnership where everyone is involved in educating our students who are truly tomorrow's leaders."

In March 2019, ACC received a gift of up to $10 million from the Sturm Family Foundation, the largest in the history of the 13-institution Colorado Community College System. With an over $5 million match opportunity, bringing the full potential of the gift in excess of $15 million, the funding will be used in its entirety for the Sturm Collaboration Campus.
“The opening of Sturm Collaboration Campus is an exciting opportunity for the community of Castle Rock to provide industry-aligned education to its citizens and encourage lifelong learning,” said Donald Sturm, chairman and founder of the Sturm Family Foundation, owner of ANB Bank and developer of The Meadows in Castle Rock, where the campus is located. “We hope the community will leverage our match to increase the investment in Sturm Collaboration Campus and create an institution that sets a benchmark for the rest of the state.”

Last fall, the Economic Development Council of Colorado (EDCC) named the Sturm Collaboration Campus as its 2018 Economic Development Partnership of the Year.

"JHL Constructors, along with our design-build partner DLR Group, is elated to deliver this first-class facility to ACC" stated Ben Stellor, President & CEO of JHL Constructors, a Colorado-based and Colorado-focused builder. “We are honored to be a partner to ACC and its partners in bringing this facility and vision to life."

“DLR Group’s design embodies and facilitates collaboration between industry and community partners while providing an enhanced educational experience for students,” said DLR Group Principal Bob Binder, AIA, who leads the firm’s Higher Education Studio in Colorado. “We incorporated engaging spaces throughout the Sturm Collaboration Campus that support hands-on learning, real-life scenarios, and internship/apprenticeship activities.”

Classes at the new 43,000 square-foot facility will begin on Monday, August 19.

For more information, please contact Jeff Duggan, ACC Communications Coordinator, at jeff [dot] duggan [at] arapahoe [dot] edu (jeff[dot]duggan[at]arapahoe[dot]edu) / 303.797.5709.