SFCC’s Development Update: Advancements In Agricultural Programs & New Facilities

Progress on State Fair Community College's new facilities is obvious to anyone paying attention to what's happening on the western edge of the Sedalia campus.

SFCC President Dr. Brent Bates said he is excited about all the progress being made between the main campus and the 200-acre State Fair Farm, which saw several calves delivered on Tuesday, Oct. 15.

“We have 30-35 head of cattle out there. We just sold our calves from last year, so we're reinvesting the proceeds back into the operations,” Dr. Bates said in September.

“It's a demonstration farm, and we have about 160-170 students studying agriculture at the college. So instead of just reading about in a textbook, they can get out and put their hands on the cows and in the dirt, and learn about and manage a real farm, the ag business side, and get a real-life experience. That's what community college is all about,” Dr. Bates told KSIS.

Brad Driskill is the Agriculture Program Director at State Fair Community College.

The Center for Advanced Agriculture Transportation and Technology (CAATT) is currently being built and will house

“It's a big shed. It's a $13 million facility. We plan to turn the keys over Dec. 27,” Dr. Bates said, adding that not all the programs planned there will be up and running in the spring.

State Fair serves a 14-county region in Missouri, it should be noted.

“A significant part of our business is to prepare students to transfer seamlessly to four-year universities, as well as training for jobs right here in our service region,” Dr. Bates pointed out.

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In addition, a new three-story residential hall is being constructed as well. It is highly visible from West 16th Street, and has 13,000 square feet per floor.

“Our enrollment is up significantly,” Dr. Bates said, up 13 percent. About 300 students are currently living in apartments across the street from the college in space that is leased by State Fair.

In fact, SFCC issued a press release this week, reporting a notable 13 percent increase in enrollment for the Fall 2024 semester. The student head count at SFCC now stands at 4,242, up 488 students over last year, it was noted.

The new residence hall is expected to accommodate those students and bring them back on campus. “We've been working on it for a number of years and we finally pulled the trigger on it,” Dr. Bates noted, adding that it will have 198 beds, plus an apartment for the manager of the facility.

The cost? Well over $13 million.

“It's a spectacular structure designed by local architect Rob Rollings. It features beautiful windows and a great view of campus. Part of the residence hall looks out over our expansion area for our athletic fields for soccer, baseball, softball, track ad field. Our plan is to have that open by the fall 2025 semester,” Dr. Bates said. “And we're on track to do that.”

The general contractor for that project is PCE (Professional Contractors and Engineers) out of Columbia, and there are several local sub-contractors working on the residence hall right now, including NPB Plumbing, C & E Excavating, McCallister Construction (which also built Rea Funeral Home across the street), Premiere Climate Control, Kullman Masonry, LLC (Cole Camp), Dugan's Flooring and Reinholt Electricity, to name a few.

“That $13 million? A lot of it's staying right here,” Dr. Bates stated, referring to all the local contractors on the job.