Home » Santa Clarita News » Education » College of the Canyons » College Of The Canyons Ribbon Cutting Marks Grand Opening Of Don Takeda Science Center

College Of The Canyons Ribbon Cutting Marks Grand Opening Of Don Takeda Science Center

Surrounded by dozens of students and staff Wednesday morning, College of the Canyons (COC) officials celebrated the grand opening of the Don Takeda Science Center at the Canyon Country campus with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and grand tour of the facility.

The completion of the Don Takeda Science Center comes after a 5-year construction process that had been recently dedicated to longtime COC biology instructor Don Takeda who retired in 2017.

“We are so excited to celebrate the opening of this facility which marks a major milestone in the growth and development of this campus,” said COC Chancellor Dr. Diane Van Hook. “And recognize our honoree, Professor Don Takeda, his wife Cindy, children Phoebe and Cameron, along with the dozens of family, friends, family members, former students here to celebrate him.”

During the ceremony, Takeda was formally recognized by the Santa Clarita Community College District for his significant contributions to the biological sciences during his teaching career at COC, which began in 1972.

See Related: COC Canyon Country Campus To Break Ground On New Science Building

The event featured moving tributes to Takeda by COC staff, Chancellor Van Hook and even the retired professor’s two adult children.

“Professor Takeda taught biology for 46 years as a full-time professor and continues teaching part time,” Van Hook said. “Thank you Don, for allowing us to honor you and recognize your many contributions through the years. You have touched the lives of so many students.”

The 55,000-square-foot building,  primarily devoted to the physical and biological sciences, was toured for the first time Wednesday by the Santa Clarita Community College District Board of Trustees, Van Hook, as well as COC staff, administrators and students.

The event also featured speeches in praise of the building as well as Takeda’s legacy by Assemblywoman Suzette Valladares and representatives from the office of Congressman Mike Garcia, Senator Scott Wilk and LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger.

“The science building project will bring in-demand science laboratory and classroom space to the very heart of the campus,” said Dr. Ryan Theule, vice president of the Canyon Country campus and grants development. “Although the Canyon Country campus is already known as a comprehensive center with complete academic pathways and student support services, the addition of the Science Building will provide new possibilities for students to complete academic pathways, especially in science disciplines.”

Funding for the construction of the Science Building was made possible by Measure E, which Santa Clarita Valley voters passed in June 2016.

Construction of the Science Center was funded by Measure E, the $230 million bond measure that was approved by local voters in June 2016.

“I’m so glad to see all of you here today,” Van Hook said. “This campus and the district’s drive to develop it is a demonstration of our dedication to meeting our community’s needs.”

For more information, click here


Sponsored Articles


Do you have a news tip? Call us at (661) 298-1220, or send an email to news@hometownstation.com. Don’t miss a thing. Get breaking KHTS Santa Clarita News Alerts delivered right to your inbox. Report a typo or error, email Corrections@hometownstation.com

KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

KHTS AM 1220 & FM 98.1 - Santa Clarita Radio - Santa Clarita News

College Of The Canyons Ribbon Cutting Marks Grand Opening Of Don Takeda Science Center

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

About Tim Smith

Tim was raised in Santa Clarita and attended COC before transferring to UC Berkeley in 2017. After getting his B.A. in political science, Tim joined KHTS as a News Intern in 2021.