Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Truman State University to Renovate Historic Building into Student Success Center

  • By Matt Jones
  • 09/08/22

Construction will begin soon on the campus of Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo., to convert a historic building into a Student Success Center. The Kirk Building, built in 1923, has been closed to students since August 2020 and used primarily for storage. A renovation project was announced in February 2022 with construction scheduled to begin in August. A recent local news story reports that construction is on track and that university officials have been conducting meetings with architects during the summer and into the fall.

“We have been in need of renovating the Kirk Building for some time, and student success is really important to us at Truman,” said Janet Gooch, Truman State Executive Vice President of Student Affairs and Provost. “So, we started thinking about student needs and our needs as an institution for the renovation of Kirk, and we put it all together and realized that what better way to use Kirk—which is right there in the center of the university—but to be a building for all units that support student success?”

Local news reports that the project is estimated to cost $21 million. About half the funds are coming from the American Rescue Plan, while the other half comes from community partners in northeast Missouri, said KTVO. Completion is currently scheduled in January 2025.

A university press release reports that the new building will play home to “the Career Center; Tutoring Services; the Student Health Center; Counseling Services; Student Access and Disability Services; the Center for Academic Excellence; the Communication Lab; and the Writing Center.”

“What’s really unique about the particular project that’s going to go in the Kirk Building, it’s not just services that will be available to Truman students, but we’re going to open those up and make those available to the community, as well,” said Gooch. “To help our community with workforce development and provide young people and adults out there who are looking to expand their knowledge and skills the opportunity to use those services, as well.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Launches New Emergency Communications System

    The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) recently deployed a new emergency notification and incident management system for its campus, according to a news release. The university partnered with 911Cellular to launch Safe@UTC, a smartphone app allowing university officials to communicate and respond during emergency situations.

  • Spaces4Learning Trends & Predictions for Educational Facilities in 2026: Part II

    As education leaders look toward 2026, the design of K–12 and higher education facilities is being reshaped by powerful, converging forces. Survey respondents point to the rapid growth of Career and Technical Education, deeper alignment with workforce and industry needs, and the accelerating influence of AI and emerging technologies.

  • University of Arizona Approves New Residence Hall

    The Arizona Board of Regents recently approved plans for a new residence hall at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Ariz., according to a news release. The new facility is scheduled to open in fall 2028 and have the capacity for more than 1,200 students, enforcing a new university expectation that all first-year students live on campus.

  • How a Portable Sink Helped an Art Classroom Run More Smoothly

    Classroom design decisions can have outsized effects on instructional time and safety at schools juggling mismatched infrastructure, strict budgets, and crowded schedules — particularly in the arts. Between spilled paint and dirty brushes, art classes run smoother with a sink in the studio. But many schools don’t have a sink in every art classroom.