Student Services Building at Cuyamaca College

The three-story, 36,607 SF Student Services Building is now the welcoming point into the heart of Cuyamaca College. A new campus gateway was designed to allow visitors to experience a “threshold” moment. This promotes outreach and provides a clear, efficient, and welcoming access area to the services and opportunities available for students. The newly constructed building houses Student Services, including a Welcome Center, Financial Aid, Admissions, Cashier, Counseling, Disability Support Programs and Services (DSPS), Extended Opportunities Programs and Services (EOPS), CalWORKs, college administration, and classroom space.

Exterior improvements consisted of new sustainable landscaping, student drop-off lane, Flag Circle, and reconstruction of pathways across the Grand Lawn to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility standards, including accessible paths of travel to the bus loop area and to the existing accessible parking lot.

The design emphasized connectivity to three elements – the surrounding community, the existing campus, and between students and available services and opportunities. The vision and execution of this project aligns with the College’s mission to connect the community with educational opportunities. The Student Services Building provides unique and meaningful learning environments to build upon the sociocultural experiences of the College’s diverse student population and the communities it serves.