Opening celebrates key milestone for FLC, City of Folsom, ushers in STEM expansion in education
As the fall semester begins, Folsom Lake College officially opened its new state-of-the-art science wing with a ribbon-cutting ceremony that brought together college leaders, city officials, donors, students, and community members. What began years ago as a vision for expanded STEM opportunities has now become reality. The $86 million project stands as the largest science facility in the Los Rios Community College District, a place where new generations of scientists, engineers, and healthcare professionals will find both inspiration and opportunity.
“This is just an incredible day for Folsom Lake College in the Los Rios Community College District,” said FLC President Dr. Art Pimentel as he welcomed the crowd. He began the ceremony with the college’s land acknowledgment, honoring the Nisenan, Maidu, and Miwok peoples as the original stewards of the land. “Despite colonization, occupation, and genocide, the Nisenan, Maidu, and Miwok people continue and thrive in their resilience and self-determination. We celebrate and recognize our tribal neighbors and honor their sustained existence,” he said.
Pimentel emphasized that the building was more than steel and concrete. “It really is about higher education. It’s about people. It’s about opportunity, and it’s exactly what this community and our college and our district believe in.” He offered gratitude to the taxpayers whose support of Measure M made the project possible, to the Los Rios Foundation and donors, to the Board of Trustees and Chancellor, and to the many partners in construction and design. “Behind me is an $86,000,000 building, and that is an incredible investment that we have made in this community and this college, and what we believe in in terms of the power of education,” Pimentel said.
He also recognized the contributions of former leaders who laid the foundation for today’s celebration, including founding provost Skip Davies, past presidents Thelma Scott-Skillman, Rachel Rosenthal, and Whitney Yamamura. “This facility is just more than classrooms and labs,” he said. “It is a place where students will discover their passion, unlock their potential, and take the first steps towards careers that will strengthen our region. It’s also a space designed to foster connection, a sense of belonging.”
Los Rios Chancellor Dr. Brian King followed, calling it “a celebration filled with gratitude and a sense of community.” He reflected on the district’s unusual stability in leadership. “In an era where there’s a revolving door of leaders in senior positions, the chancellor at Los Rios for the last thirty years has either been me or Bryce Harris. That’s the kind of continuity we’ve had.” He credited that long-term commitment for enabling major projects like the new science wing.
King also praised the region’s growth and the timing of the building’s completion. “The timing of this celebration could not be better. On Saturday and then more so on Monday, students are going to return to all four of the Los Rios colleges. We’re going to serve more than 77,000 students across the Sacramento region this year. And nowhere is the growth in energy greater than it is right here in Folsom.”
King noted that Folsom has been one of the fastest-growing cities in California, with more than 28% growth in the last decade. “The lives that are gonna be changed in the building right behind us will number in the thousands over the years to come,” King said, urging the community to give itself a round of applause.
Kelly Wilkerson, President of the Los Rios Board of Trustees, framed the new wing in terms of opportunity. “When I look at this building, I think of all the opportunities that it will be creating in our region. I think of the mom returning to work thinking that she wants to be a nurse and taking those first classes here. I think about the high school students getting a jump on their college career by taking credits here, and I think of all the students who will be taking advantage of the tutoring services offered in this building just to make sure that they can succeed in their classes.”
“This is not just the celebration of a new building,” Wilkerson added. “It’s the celebration of creating more opportunity for students throughout our region. Opening this new state-of-the-art facility is incredibly exciting for Folsom Lake, for our district, and really for our entire region.” She emphasized the importance of Measure M: “Visionary voters supported Measure M way back in 2008 securing the funds for this important project. This is the last new construction project funded by Measure M. It’s allowing us to grow and modernize all of our colleges and impacting students from every community we serve.”
Folsom Mayor Sarah Aquino spoke of the project’s significance not just for the college but for the city itself. “On behalf of the city of Folsom, I want to congratulate President Pimentel, Chancellor King, the board of trustees, and, of course, the faculty, students, staff here at Folsom Lake College on the opening of this gorgeous science building. And we want to thank you for your continued investment in this campus, which really is an investment in our community.”
She linked the new facility to the region’s growing health and technology sectors. “We currently have all four major health systems in the region building in Folsom. As you travel down Iron Point Road, which I like to call the Semiconductor Corridor, you’ll pass Micron, Intel, Samsung, and Qualcomm. And the one thing we hear consistently from all of those companies is the reason they chose Folsom is because of our very educated citizenry and the deep talent pool here. And it is state-of-the-art facilities like this combined with outstanding instruction that ensures we continue to educate, train, and develop that next generation of talent.”
Aquino also spoke personally. “Our daughter graduated from Vista in 2019, knew exactly what she wanted to do, and went straight to a four-year university. Our son was not sure what he wanted to do. He decided on his own that Folsom Lake College was his best option, and he would tell you today that was the very best decision he could have made.” She added, “Whether you’re a student who knows exactly what you want to do educationally or maybe you need some time to figure it out, this is such a tremendous asset to our community, and I am such a passionate believer in community college in general, but Folsom Lake College in particular, and I think we all need to be shouting it from the rooftop.”
Perhaps the most powerful testimony came from chemistry major Jacob Ward, representing the students who will fill the new wing in the years to come. “Thank you to every donor, administrator, staff, faculty, community member, elected official for being here and having a huge role in bringing this science building to Folsom Lake College,” he began.
Ward, a returning student who previously worked in gourmet mushroom production and as a biology laboratory technician, spoke of blending his Native American heritage with modern scientific curiosity. “One thing that was a constant on my radar during this time was the role that community college would play in my pursuit of higher education. I spent hours sleuthing through the Internet, and I found Folsom Lake College alumni attending every major UC school. This showed me that here existed a community dedicated to paving a path fertile with the tools, resources, and support for student success.”
Ward is now conducting research with UC Davis scientists and looks forward to continuing his work in the new labs. “The opening of this new science building shows that our community has come together to bring to life a vision where students are afforded the resources that will help them to explore, to have their interests nurtured, and to realize their own full potential. This building represents innovation and an investment in one another. These actions help to plant the seed that there is truly something for everyone in STEM.” He concluded: “It is an honor to witness this kind of growth for our community, and I’m excited to be a part of the first wave of students here to christen the halls of this beacon, a beacon that will continue to illuminate the path forward for many years.”
The ribbon cutting drew to a close with applause and acknowledgments of faculty, staff, and students who then had the opportunity for a tour of the building. With six biology labs, six chemistry labs, a Science Center, and collaborative spaces, the new science wing triples FLC’s lab capacity and makes STEM education accessible to more students. Designed by HMC Architects with MTW Group Landscape Architecture and built by Otto Construction, the facility blends innovation with sustainability, meeting LEED Silver certification standards.
The building is also part of the “Science on Display Capital Campaign,” launched by the Los Rios Colleges Foundation to equip the labs with advanced technology such as gas chromatographs, infrared spectrometers, microscopes, and anatomical models. Donors who contributed $2,500 or more were recognized on a commemorative wall, while larger gifts carried naming opportunities. Foundation leaders emphasized that every contribution was an investment in the region’s future workforce.
From Mayor Aquino’s Semiconductor Corridor to Jacob Ward’s personal academic dreams, the new science wing is positioned at the intersection of local industry, student opportunity, and community pride. For President Pimentel, the building represents the very essence of the college’s mission. “This facility is just more than classrooms and labs. It is a place where students will discover their passion, unlock their potential, and take the first steps toward careers that will strengthen our region.”
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