Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Renovated Dorm to Serve STEM High Schoolers

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 07/23/21

A college in Huntsville, Ala., has just undergone a $6 million renovation. The first guests in the 100-room facility at Oakwood University will be high schoolers attending Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering (ASCTE), which draws students seeking advanced engineering and cyber technology studies.

Oakwood is a private, historically black institution owned and operated by the Seventh Day Adventist Church. It has an enrollment of about 1,600 students. ASCTE is a public, state-magnet residential school specifically for students in Alabama with 150 students during the 2021-2022 school year, in grades 9-11. According to local reporting, the latest work was a collaboration between the two schools.

Peterson Hall at Oakwood University
Source: Oakwood University Photography

The structure was built in 1955. With completion of the renovation, the building now features 52 private rooms, four suites, meeting rooms, an auditorium, a business center, a laundry and vending areas and a sauna and exercise room.

About 60 ASCTE students are expected to move in next month. The room and board are free and will accommodate those STEM students who live outside of the area.

The expectation is that next year, the high school students will move to a different building currently under construction elsewhere in the city. Peterson Hall will then become a residence hall for university students.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Abstract tech network data connections with orange, blue glowing dots, lines

    3 Trends for Higher Education to Stay Ahead of in 2026

    As universities enter the new year, the question is no longer whether digital transformation is necessary, but how quickly institutions can convert technological potential into strategic advantage.

  • Preparing for the Next Era of Healthcare Education, Innovation

    Across the country, public universities and community colleges are accelerating investments in healthcare education facilities as part of a broader strategy to address workforce shortages, modernize outdated infrastructure, and expand clinical training capacity. These projects, which are often located at the center of campus health and science districts, are no longer limited to traditional classrooms.

  • California K–12 District Finishes Renovations on Multi-Sport Stadium

    The Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) in Alameda, Calif., recently announced the completion of a renovation project on the Encinal Jr. & Sr. High School stadium, according to a news release. The district partnered with Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) and Bothman Construction on the facility, and funding came from Bond Measure B.

  • New City School

    Turning Crisis into Opportunity: Transforming New City School

    When New City School in St. Louis suffered catastrophic flood damage in July 2022, the event could have marked a serious setback for the 100-year-old institution. Instead, it became a forward-looking opportunity.