EAST TEXAS — Panola College will begin construction on two new campus buildings worth a combined $20 million in May to expand academic, workforce training, and student support facilities.
The college plans to break ground on a nearly 19,000-square-foot Digital Learning Building on May 1, followed by a 25,000-square-foot Gateway Building on May 12. The projects are expected to cost $9 million and $11 million, respectively, with completion targeted by early September, according to filings with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
College officials said the Gateway Building will house classrooms and laboratories for academic, workforce, and continuing education programs, along with office and collaboration spaces. The Digital Learning Building will include the institution’s information technology department, a server room, a network operations center, and facilities for digital learning, esports, computer science, and engineering programs.
The expansion follows the opening of the Matthews Foundation Energy Building in May 2024, which added laboratory and outdoor training space. Former college president Greg Powell said the developments aim to provide skills training aligned with regional workforce needs.
The college also received a $171,000 grant from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in December to research and design a construction supervision education pathway.
