Fort Valley State University's land-grant mission continues with the addition of a new state-of-the-art facility created to assist in research, teaching and extension.
 
On March 3 from 9-10:30 a.m., administrators from the FVSU's College of Agriculture, Family Sciences and Technology, held the official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Family Development Center and Quality Child Care Center Complex. The building is located on Carver Drive across the street from Wildcat Stadium.
 
The new Family Development Center and Quality Child Care Complex is a 25,000-square-foot building comprised of multiple sections including an auditorium and meeting rooms for extension seminars and workshops. The center also holds a meeting facility for child development programs currently housed in Myers Hall, a home management house for student experiential learning, classrooms for infants and toddlers, and a commercially equipped kitchen that accommodates instructional needs as well as provides a separate area to meet food service requirements.
 
Dr. Vivian Fluellen, chair of FVSU's Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, refers to the center as a dream come true.
 
"The new center has a research laboratory for scientists to explore family health issues, nutritious methods for food product development, food safety and sanitation issues related to healthy growth, and the development of infants and children. This new facility will enhance the teaching, research and Extension components and also provide quality services to the students and the citizens of Georgia," Fluellen said.
 
Dr. Paul Jones, President of FVSU, said this complex gives us the opportunity to create something special. "It's always wonderful for a university to bring research, education and outreach together. It's the core of our mission and we will see it first-hand as we watch lives transform," Jones said.
 
After the ribbon cutting attendees participated in tours of the complex. The building is scheduled to be in full operation by mid-March.