Mid-State Technical College’s Stevens Point campus will now feature “downtown” in its official name. The College formalized the new name, Stevens Point Downtown Campus, with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 7. The event also kicked off the beginning of a year-long celebration of the 10th anniversary of the move to downtown.

Mid-State’s campus in Stevens Point moved to the downtown area in 2014 after running out of room at its old Michigan Avenue location. The relocation expanded the campus from 36,000 to 54,000 square feet. This summer the College opened a second location in Stevens Point, the Wayne H. Bushman Advanced Manufacturing, Engineering Technology, and Apprenticeship (AMETATM) Center. The new name for the Stevens Point Downtown Campus will help clarify the two buildings as distinct and in separate locations.

“This campus is really a demonstration of the word partnership,” said Mid-State President Dr. Shelly Mondeik, noting that innovation, community engagement, employer-driven and student-focused were all identified as vital elements for success in the downtown location ten years ago. “One more word I would add would be committed. I know that the future will be very bright, but it's only going to happen because we're committed to this city, we're committed to our communities.”

According to Stevens Point Mayor Mike Wiza, when Mid-State relocated the campus in 2014 they seemed to already be outgrowing the site. “It’s a testament to how much they contribute to the community, that now you've got multiple sites throughout the city and so much growth you have to rename the location of your campus,” he said.

The relationship between the City of Stevens Point and Mid-State Technical College is “a tremendous partnership,” Wiza added. “Anytime the city needs anything or anybody, we direct them to Mid-State and Mid-State says ‘Yes, we'll do it. What do you need?’”

“People are the new economic development that we need in this community, and Mid-State is so focused on making our people better, making each one of us better and helping every business in our community,” said Portage County Business Council President and CEO Mike Witte. “The growth that Mid-State is having is such a great development for our community.”

Plans for the year-long celebration of the campus’s 10th-anniversary downtown include exploring Mid-State’s history in the Stevens Point Community, engaging the Portage County Historical Society and hosting a lecture in February. Mid-State will also host celebrations of business partners, alumni and community throughout spring. Keep an eye out for more information on these and other upcoming events at mstc.edu.