Campus Profile: Cypress Campus Center

When I first started attending Northwest Vista in 2004, the college basically consisted of the AB building, the cafeteria, Pecan Hall, a few portables, and approximately 4,000 students. Today, the campus has seemingly doubled in size, and almost tripled in enrollment (12,500 students attending this spring, according to V.P. Jimmie Bruce, and up to as much as 16,000 in the coming years). Last semester we received a completely revamped library, the Redbud Learning Center (RLC), and Juniper Hall. This semester's additions are Live Oak Hall (LOH) and the Cypress Campus Center (CCC).

Architecturally, the Cypress Center is dwarfed by Live Oak, but the Cypress Center has a really unique look with its slanted roof. Also, it doesn't hurt that it faces the newly added Lago Vista. The first thing I noticed while entering the building was the spherical lights, resembling miniature suns, hanging at different lengths from the ceiling. I think these fixtures look pretty classy. To the left of the entrance was a grouping of students hanging around a tall wooden staircase, using built-in internet ports to connect their laptops. This availability and overall structure is a very cool feature; Northwest Vista seems to have spared no expense on streamlining this building.

The Student Success desk is directly in front of the entrance, where I was offered condoms and pamphlets on STDS. To the left, up past a small flight of stairs, I found the student enrollment, financial aid, and business offices. There was practically no wait time for me to speak to the friendly representative.

The building itself is pretty impressive; not only will it serve as the new cafeteria (which is awesome), but it also serves as the new administration building. Basically, the Cypress Campus Center functions as the new student center. As you've probably heard, Huisache Hall is undergoing renovations to serve Kinesiology programs. The college is also preparing to open a gymnasium in spring 2010 to host a variety of athletic courses and events.

The new cafeteria is probably the best addition to this campus. Although the cafeteria is smaller than the old one, its atmosphere is more like that of an actual diner. It comes with booths for students to enjoy. I don't understand at all why I hear some students complaining about the booths.

Students now have a much larger variety of food too.

Across from the cafeteria lies the Multi-Purpose room. This room is used for screening movies, practicing music, and quest performances.

The second floor of Cypress Center is full of offices such as: career and transfer services, student wellness, testing and assessment, and administration services. This building serves as a much more centralized space, and it's obvious that Vista cares enough about its students to make these improvements. Of course, the college will continue to grow as more and more students enroll. The next building to open soon is the performing arts center.

------- Special Thanks to Jimmie Bruce and Debra Morgan for the information provided.