After one year, AACC students and faculty said they like the Health and Life Sciences building, praising its open spaces, study rooms and Science Tutoring Center.

The building is the college’s second-newest structure, with high-tech classrooms, labs, seating areas and a Chick-fil-A.

“I think it’s a wonderful selling point [for the college],” Debbie Bartlett, who is the academic chair of the Biology Department, said. “When people see these facilities … they’re just wowed.”

The 175,000-square-foot building, which opened in August 2021 after two years of construction, is the largest on campus.

Second-year nursing student Jodie Eyrd said the building is “a really great addition to the school.”

“It seems really up to date,” Eyrd said. “I really like the building.”

Laura Lewandowski, a second-year nursing student, said the building is “very functional.”

“I think it’s well equipped,” Lewandowski said. “I like the study rooms and all the different spaces that are available.”

Carrie Long, a biology professor, said the building has been a “great experience so far,” noting the new Science Tutoring Center.

Students said they like to spend time in the building even outside of classes.

“I use the study rooms a lot,” Lewandowski said, “for individual studying, and then also group study. … And I sometimes go to Chick-fil-A. … That’s definitely a bonus.”

Eryd agreed.

“I usually eat in this building too,” Eyrd said. “Chick-fil-A is right downstairs. It has a really nice seating area.”

“The Health and Life Sciences building has been enormously successful since its opening one year ago,” AACC President Dawn Lindsay said in a statement. “We’ve been able to expand our top-ranked nursing program to respond to an ongoing county need. … We expanded the Environmental Center to enable scaled-up research projects and added additional biology classes to better meet student demand.”

Lindsay added: “We are so excited for the continued opportunities the … building will bring to our college and community.”