If Allen Community College is to expand its footprint in Iola, it will do so to the north.
College trustees approved last week the purchase of 34 acres immediately north of the Iola campus from Kyle and Rebecca Stephenson.
While nothing is official, the college is on the cusp of expanding its career and technical education (CTE) over the next few years, College President Dr. Bruce Moses said.
“And as it was, we were pretty much landlocked,” he said.
The purchase, which cost the college $325,000, will allow for construction of new facilities if and when that’s necessary.
One of the key points of emphasis when Allen finalizes its next strategic plan later this year is to expand its CTE programs, Moses said.
The new plan coincides with Allen’s inclusion as an educational partner with EMP Shield, which is set to build a $1.9 billion microchip processing plant in rural Coffey County.
The college also is applying for other grants to partner with local industries for workforce training.
