Patti France Welcome Center opens at Main Campus

This August, St. Clair College opened the Patti France Welcome Center. 

Registrar Juli Vlaminck said a pop-up shop for student services was formerly organized in the gym yearly. 

Located at the main campus, the new Welcome Center building provides a permanent designated spot for students to access helpful services. 

“Every year at the beginning of the semester, we used to open up a one-stop shop in the classic gym for all our services such as parking, academic advising, international register office and financial aid office,” said Vlaminck. “We would all move temporarily for two weeks every semester so that all the students had a one stop shop.” 

As of August, a designated building was opened for the shop to be held.  

Vlaminck said the center was created by former college president Patti France before she retired in June. She said France’s vision was turned into reality. 

“We named it after President France because this was her brainstorm,” said Vlaminck. “It was her idea to start the one stop shop in the gym and it was her idea to make it a bigger plan, and it was her idea to actually build a new building and bring everything together.” 

Vlaminck said she believes the center will live up to its welcoming name. 

“Students can walk into this friendly building and have a place to relax and get all their services in one spot,” said Vlaminck. “They won’t be directed to all different areas of the college, which can be very confusing for new students.” 

The Patti France Welcome Center is located at the Main Campus and all students are welcome to visit.