WHAT: Grand opening/ribbon-cutting ceremony. Media will have an opportunity to see an environmentally engineered building with welding and factory equipment simulators, health-care labs, and robots built by area students.

WHEN: 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015

WHERE: 2301 E. Oakdale Blvd. Coralville, IA 52241 in the University of Iowa Research Park, directly next to the National Advanced Driving Simulator

WHO: Kirkwood President Mick Starcevich and Mark McDermott, clinical associate professor in Science Education and STEM coordinator with the University of Iowa College of Education, will be available for interviews during the tour.

WHY: The 100,000-square-foot Kirkwood Regional Center at the University of Iowa serves as a catalyst for college and career exploration, certification, and degree attainment and provides a place for educational leaders to collaborate and discuss best practices.

The center is a unique collaboration involving Kirkwood Community College, the University of Iowa, Grant Wood Area Education Agency (AEA), and school districts in and around Iowa City. The Iowa College Access Network (ICAN) and the Governor’s Southeast Regional STEM Hub are also located at the center.

The UI’s involvement presents unique opportunities for collaboration, mentoring, research, career preparation, and the development of innovative teaching/learning ecosystems and career pathways across STEM disciplines for K–12, community-college, and university students and educators.