The Circumstances
Established in 1908, the Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology (FCTech) is one of the oldest technical colleges in the country. Today, FCTech’s technology-centric curricula awards nontraditional and low-income students degrees and certificates that align with local employers’ needs. This transformative education creates pathways to economic advancement and supports the economy with a skilled and diverse workforce.
The Shift
With programs that prepare people for in-demand careers — such as clean tech, electrical engineering and cyber security — the college needed state-of-the-art space that could accommodate far more students. A new campus was in order, and FCTech chose to build it in Roxbury’s Nubian Square, joining the coalition of institutions that are helping cement Nubian Square’s identity as Boston’s “Education Innovation District.” The new location is also close to the homes of many of FCTech’s students, faculty and staff and easily accessible by multiple forms of public transportation.
The Result
FCTech’s new campus will accommodate 76% more students than its current century-old campus. Vitally, the 68,000-square-foot educational center will be purpose-built for advanced technical training, with cutting-edge labs, a manufacturing center and a walk-in optical shop, among many other innovative learning environments. “Our new campus will elevate Franklin Cummings Tech’s ability to prepare our graduates for meaningful, well-paying careers in today’s economy,” proclaims Dr. Aisha Francis, President & CEO of FCTech.
