The University of Arkansas Community Design Center has been commissioned to prepare a master plan to guide expansion of Shorter College’s existing campus in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Founded in 1886 by the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church as Bethel University, Shorter College is the only private historically Black junior college in the US, and part of the HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) network. Enrolling more than 700 students, the faith-based college offers two-year associate degrees in liberal arts, para-professional fields, and other vocational trades. Its open enrollment policy provides an accessible and affordable pathway to higher education for many who would otherwise not have the opportunity to learn a trade or attend college. Shorter College plans to expand its vocational programs responsive to new technologies, requiring additional instruction and support spaces, including new student housing. This includes four new areas of research and social impact: Energy and Environment, Education, Public Safety, and Health and Wellness. The 10-acre campus sits in a working-class neighborhood east of downtown, entailing both adaptive reuse and strategic expansion of the existing campus. Planning must reflect Shorter College’s stated goal that: “This master plan will serve as a strategic roadmap for enhancing the campus environment to support academic excellence, student life, and community engagement while preserving the college’s historic character and mission.”
Client
Shorter College