KCC students, staff collaborate to create new entryway sign

Klamath Community College staff and students gather at a new campus entryway sign completed by KCC students and staff. Pictured are (l-r) Juanito Valle, Matt Anderson, Kyle Bennett, Quinton Felsinger, Benjamin Forester, Tim Williams, Vincent Hinton, Kai Ranson, and Matt McClelland

A labor of love and volunteer time across more than half a year has culminated with installation of a new welcome sign on the Highway 39 entrance to Klamath Community College.

More than 200 volunteer hours were spent building the sign with collaboration among students, KCC staff and faculty, and even one Oregon Tech student (Dylan Glover) who assisted in the original design. Since June students under the instruction of KCC Faculty Machinist Ben Forester had been developing the project, as both a teaching tool and hands-on learning project to improve the KCC campus.

Plans were developed in collaboration with the KCC Manufacturing-Engineering-Technology (MET) program and KCC Welding programs, led by faculty members Stan Pence and Matthew Walter respectively. Also participating in the project’s development was KCC’s former Facilities Director (retired) Mike Homfeldt, new Facilities Director Tim Williams, and multiple KCC Facilities crew members.

The extensive project was a learning lesson for students in the many steps involved in metal fabrication; from initial design to revisions, development, welding, material bending, painting, and powder-coating. Students completed the majority of work, with Pacific Powder Coating providing the sign’s finish. The KCC Facilities team poured the concrete base with assistance from KCC Apprenticeship Programs Lead Mark Griffith.

“They learned the reasons why fabricators and engineers don’t always mix,” laughed Forester. “They learned to definitely double-check measurements and look at all of the plans. I wanted them to learn to count their cuts and build to the blueprints.”

KCC students who worked extensively on the sign’s completion included Matt McClelland, Kai Ranson, and Vincent Hinton. KCC Facilities members involved in the project’s completion included Matthew Anderson, Kyle Bennett, Quinton Felsinger, Robert Guthrie, Jeffrey Kelley, and Juanito Valle.

Winter term classes at Klamath Community College began on Monday, Jan. 8, with the new structure built welcoming students to campus as a sign of the times.