Grand opening marks new era of educational opportunity in Macomb

Oakland University officials hosted a grand opening ceremony this week for the third of Oakland's educational facilities located in Macomb County.

Located at 20 South Main Street in Mount Clemens, the 25,422-square-foot Anton/Frankel Center was generously donated to the university by prominent investors and developers, Gebran Anton and Stuart Frankel.

The two-story building provides new, state-of-the-art classrooms and offices for advising, student support services, faculty and staff. Renovation of the facility has taken place over the last year with the support of a $1.6 million in federal grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

"Oakland University made a commitment to establishing a presence in Macomb three decades ago and that commitment continues today," said Oakland University President Gary Russi.

"The Oakland University Anton/Frankel Center is an exceptional resource that will support the expansion of academic programs and services and will further develop Mt. Clemens as a destination for educational opportunities."

Roughly 500 hundred students will be attending more than 40 courses in the center starting on Thursday, Sept. 1. Academic subjects will include music, dance, psychology, sociology, political science, writing, communications and more.

The historic opening of Oakland's first university-owned facility in Macomb County also represents a tremendous opportunity to expand academic and student support programs outside of the main campus in Rochester, as well as to broaden the number of degree programs that students can complete in Macomb County.

Betty Youngblood, OU's associate vice president for outreach and executive director of OU-Macomb, the center offers area residents convenient access to a great university.

"It means an opportunity to achieve personal and career goals for traditional college-age students, as well as older returning students," she said. "It also means that we're provided multiple ways of contributing to the economic wellbeing of Macomb County."

Through unique partnerships has forged with regional educational institutions, students already can participate in Oakland programs at the Macomb University Center of Macomb Community College and at the adjacent Macomb Intermediate School District.

To learn more about the educational opportunities Oakland University offers in Macomb County, visit oakland.edu/macomb.