Fifth Third Bank Campus Innovation Center opens at SC4

PORT HURON -- A ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday, Jan. 18, celebrated the opening of the new Fifth Third Bank Campus Innovation Center on St. Clair County Community College's Port Huron campus.

Fifth Third Bank donated $50,000 to the SC4 and SC4 Foundation's "All Aboard: Campaign for Talent, Technology and Tomorrow" to pay for the innovation center.

Located on the first floor of SC4's Clara E. Mackenzie Building (in the area formerly known as the Memorial Room), the center includes technology tools for collaboration, flexible seating and tables for small or large group opportunities, and an area for visiting groups to use for discussions.

"As a corporate citizen of St. Clair County, Fifth Third Bank was proud to support St. Clair County Community College with a grant for the Fifth Third Bank Campus Innovation Center," said David F. Girodat, president and CEO of Fifth Third Bank, Eastern Michigan. "Fifth Third is known as the 'Curious Bank,' and innovation, based on listening to our customers, is part of our DNA."

Fifth Third is the largest corporate donor to the campaign to date.

"At SC4, we strive for innovation, creativity and cutting-edge thinking to best advance our mission of maximizing student success. We take another step toward that goal with the opening of the Fifth Third Bank Campus Innovation Center," SC4 President Dr. Kevin A. Pollock said. "We thank Fifth Third and its employees and customers for helping to make this center a reality."

SC4 and the SC4 Foundation launched the two-year, $1 million campaign for five capital projects and student scholarships Nov. 1, 2011. The innovation center is the second capital project to be completed, following the McMorran Greenway and Street Closure project.

As of Jan. 14, the campaign had raised a total of $1,100,719.23, including more than $631,000 for student scholarships.

Funds still are being raised for the remaining three projects:
•Natural Science Museum expansion.
•Historical restoration of Room 312, Main Building.
•Campus signage.

For more information about the campaign, or to make a donation or pledge, visit www.sc4.edu/allaboard or contact David P. Goetze, SC4's director of college advancement and alumni relations, at (810) 989-5761 or dpgoetze@sc4.edu.

Fifth Third Bank, Eastern Michigan, is based in Southfield. It is metropolitan Detroit's sixth largest bank and has $4.9 billion in assets. Fifth Third Bank serves customers in eight southeastern Michigan counties: Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, St. Clair, Shiawassee, Livingston, Genesee and Washtenaw. It operates 90 banking centers and more than 150 ATMs throughout eastern Michigan.

Founded in 1923, St. Clair County Community College serves students with a variety of on-campus and online classes. The college offers associate degrees, certificate programs, programs that transfer to four-year colleges and universities, and short-term job training. Through its university partners, the college makes bachelor's degrees available locally. The college's main campus is in downtown Port Huron with satellite centers at Algonac, Croswell, Peck and Yale.