NIC to launch capital campaign for CTE facility

COEUR d'ALENE — North Idaho College will formally launch its public capital campaign next week, to fund a portion of the new Career and Technical Education Facility.

Construction on the 110,960-square-foot facility, located in Rathdrum next to the Kootenai Technical Education Campus at 7064 W. Lancaster Road, is underway and projected to finish in time for the first classes to be held in the fall. Members of the community are invited to attend an event on April 11 at 1 p.m., in the Edminister Student Union Building, located on NIC's main campus in Coeur d'Alene, featuring a fundraising announcement, facility update and reception.

Parking permits are not required for those wishing to attend the event.

The CTE facility is being built with $15 million from college capital funds, coupled with donations secured through the “Building the Future”

capital campaign. The goal of the campaign, according to a news release, is to raise $5 million.

“We are excited to provide the public with a facility update and to announce the significant progress that has already been made through the Building the Future campaign being led by the NIC Foundation,” said NIC President Joe Dunlap in the release. “This facility will enable NIC to better support students and regional workforce needs. The $5 million raised through the Building the Future campaign will ensure the necessary equipment will be available and will also provide scholarship support for students.”

The CTE facility will house several programs: Automotive Technology, Collision Repair Technology, Architectural and Mechanical Computer Aided Design Technology, Diesel Technology, Industrial Mechanical/Millwright Technology, Machining and CNC Technology and Welding Technology.

According to college officials, current facilities for these programs are too small or limited, do not adequately meet student enrollment demand or are outdated. Many of the programs, the release adds, are located in offsite facilities that are leased by the college.

"Consolidation will bring economies of scale and provide a more effective teaching and learning environment for the trades and industry programs," the release states.

To learn more about how to support the Building the Future Campaign, contact the North Idaho College Foundation at (208) 769-5978 or foundation@nic.edu.