Groundbreaking held for new Student Success Center at CSUSB Palm Desert Campus
PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) - California State University, San Bernardino marked a major milestone Thursday with the groundbreaking of its new Student Success Center at the Palm Desert Campus.
University leaders, local officials, community members, faculty, alumni and students gathered for the ceremony, celebrating the start of construction on the first new building at the campus in 16 years.
“This is a historic day for the Palm Desert Campus,” said CSUSB President Tomás D. Morales. “We want to create a space where students feel that they belong, they feel validated, they feel like they belong in higher education.”
The new facility is part of a long-term plan to expand services and educational opportunities in the Coachella Valley. The $79 million state-funded project was secured with support from former state assemblymembers Eduardo Garcia and Chad Mayes, and is seen as a testament to the community’s advocacy for higher education access.
Scheduled for completion in 2027, the 23,700-square-foot center will house academic advising, tutoring, career services, a cross cultural center, expanded library, group study spaces, a bookstore, food services, a student health center and a recreation and wellness center.
“The building will help us elevate the student experience,” said Edna Martinez, associate vice president at the Palm Desert Campus. “It’s a celebration of bold vision, continued commitment and what’s to come.”
The facility is designed to support up to 4,000 full-time equivalent students and free up existing space in other campus buildings for additional classrooms and faculty offices.
