Chesapeake Welcome Center, Harford Community College’s newly renovated and expanded building that will provide prospective students, parents and visitors with a central location from which to begin their Harford experience, is on track to open in late January, at the start of the spring semester.
The community is invited to an Open House on Sunday, January 25, from 2 to 5 p.m. to explore the Chesapeake Welcome Center and to see firsthand how the newly renovated and expanded building will serve as a hub for connection, creativity and collaboration.
“The Chesapeake Welcome Center is more than just a newly renovated and expanded building—it’s a bold step forward in how we serve our students and community. As the front door to the Harford Experience, this space will bring together the resources students need to succeed from the moment they arrive on campus,” said Dr. Theresa B. Felder, president of Harford Community College. “It will also offer new opportunities for engagement, connection and celebration through our conference center, art gallery and theater. We’re proud to create a welcoming, innovative environment that reflects the spirit and future of Harford Community College.”
The Chesapeake Welcome Center replaces the former Chesapeake Center, a 32,266-square-foot building constructed in 1968 that housed administrative offices, a theater and dining services.
The newly renovated and expanded 78,000-square foot building is designed to serve as the front door to the Harford Experience. It will house Admissions, Workforce and Continuing Education, Registration and Dual Enrollment; provide convenient parking; and become a central entrance point for prospective students, campus tours, enrollment events and registration. For the first time ever, students will be able to register for both credit and noncredit classes in the same location.
In addition, a 10,000-square-foot meeting and conference center will provide space to the community for dinners, banquets, parties, meetings, tradeshows and other events. The conference center includes a large room that can accommodate 256 people in seated rounds (400 theater-style), and could also be split into two separate rooms. Another large meeting space of three rooms can be combined into one space, grouped in a pair and one single, or used separately. Three other rooms are available for breakout spaces. There will also be a business center available for those using the conference center.
Other Chesapeake Welcome Center highlights include the 2,080-square-foot Chesapeake Gallery, which will move from the Student Center; an expanded, 429-seat state-of-the art Chesapeake Theater with easy access to a more visible Box Office; a state-of-the-art kitchen (double in size) operated by the College’s Dining Services; and offices for the Harford Community College Foundation, Finance Department, and Events and Conferencing Services.
Three areas in the Chesapeake Welcome Center have been named. The Gallery will be known as the Dr. James and Lynne LaCalle Chesapeake Gallery; the Theater Box Office will be known as the McComas Family Box Office; and the Lobby, with its grand staircase, will be known as the Freedom Federal Credit Union Lobby.
Naming opportunities are available for several other areas in the Chesapeake Welcome Center including the conference center, theater and breakout rooms. Funds raised from naming opportunities go directly to student resources and needs. For more information about naming opportunities, contact Casey Snyder, executive director of the Harford Community College Foundation, at 443-412-2449 or by email at csnyder@harford.edu.
For information about hosting an event at the conference center, contact Becca Ashman, coordinator for conferencing and event operations, at 443-412-2117, by email at reashman@harford.edu or visit https://www.harfordevents.com/p/venues--spaces/conference-center.
Funding for the $52 million project, which began in fall 2023, has been provided by the State of Maryland, Harford County and Harford Community College. The design firm for the project is Murphy and Dittenhafer, and the general contractor is Oak Contracting, LLC.
Founded in 1957, Harford Community College is a vibrant, open-access institution located on more than 350 acres near Bel Air. Harford offers 140+ affordable degree, certificate, and career and workforce programs to more than 6,300 full- and part-time students, as well as community education courses to nearly 6,000 students a year. To learn more about all that Harford Community College offers, visit Harford.edu.
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