PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (January 28, 2020) – On Tuesday, Prairie View A&M University held a grand opening and ribbon-cutting for its Panther Collaboration and Innovation Commons (Panther C.I.C.).

“Panther C.I.C. [C.I.C. is pronounced like ‘kick’] was created to inspire students sitting in the present, thinking about their futures, while being motivated by the past,” said Charlene Stubblefield, M.Ed., Executive Director for the Center for Instructional Innovation and Technology Services (CIITS). CIITS oversees the commons.  “It is an honor to manage this space with ‘outside the box’ thinking to inspire collaboration and innovation.”

Located on the third floor of the John B. Coleman Library, the Panther C.I.C. is a hub to a host of different services and collaborative meeting spaces available to students and faculty.  It’s an initiative of CIITS, formerly called the Office of Distance Learning.  This ongoing project is funded in part by the Title III Federal Grant Program through the Office of Research, Innovation, and Sponsored Programs.

Multimedia Production Specialist Joey Longa, who joined PVAMU in the spring of 2019, was part of the installation team.

“Anyone wanting to learn anything, come and ask, and we’ll figure out a way to get training for you,” Longa said.  “Come and check it out.  Come in and explore.  You’re going to see some things you haven’t seen at this university.”

The Panther C.I.C. includes:

  • a digital print center;
  • equipment checkout for digital cameras, laptops, mics, iPads, tripods;
  • a 48-seat training room;
  • two video rooms/studios;
  • an audio studio for podcasting and recording;
  • and, offices for instructional designers, multimedia production specialist, print manager, and graduate assistants.

The space began as the Digital Media Commons in September 2016 but was transformed into a smart collaboration workspace.  It’s located on the same floor as the Academic Student Success Center, PVAMU’s Honors Program, and the Tutoring Center.  Students involved with these programs who previewed the Panther C.I.C. during the fall semester’s soft opening were excited about the changes, and they helped to spread the word.

“We only reached ten-percent of the university’s population, but this place was packed for final exams,” Longa said.  “This is the one-stop-shop for all of your technology needs….A place for training, creating, meeting, and educating.”

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