"I'm really excited. I'll be able to come in here and learn the best I can with all the new equipment," Wyzkiewicz said on Friday after a crowd of more than 100 people gathered for the dedication of Delta's renovated K Wing.
The upgraded classrooms, which had only been minimally changed since the college was founded in 1961, introduce the flexibility of hybrid learning.
"I usually do online classes, but now with this new wing, I'm going to do more in-person so I can get the full experience and just learn the best I can," said Wyzkiewicz, a Bay City resident who is pursuing the growing field of cybersecurity.
Likewise, Rinz, who is from Hemlock and is also pursuing cybersecurity, looks forward to using the modern equipment that the classrooms offer.
"This is important to me because all the updated equipment helps us further ourselves, helps us become better at what we do," Rinz said.
It's hard to overstate the importance of cybersecurity, he said.
"That field is growing exponentially because of all the new technology that's coming out," Rinz said. "Everything that's coming out with any kind of microchip, there's some kind of security behind it."
Kevin Wyzkiewicz, Program Coordinator in Delta's Business and Technology Division, confirmed that the design of the new classrooms will make classes conducive to hybrid learning.
"We do a lot of online courses. We have some face-to-face courses as well," explained Wyzkiewicz, who is Maya's father. "We're excited about these rooms that we would be able to offer classes which would give students choices whether they want to come into the classroom or attend virtually, on a given day. It's flexibility in instruction."
The renovation added 4,750 square feet to the original 16,500-square-foot K Wing, including an expanded cybersecurity classroom, multiple shared computer science labs and classrooms, and storage and study lounge areas.
It not only strengthens the computer science, administrative assistant and information technology degree programs, but also expands the capacity to provide training in high-demand fields such as computer numeric control, programmable logic controllers, data science, and mechatronics.
The computer science wing is also home to Delta College's Cybersecurity Center — recognized by both the Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Agency as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education.
During the dedication, Delta President Michael Gavin emphasized the key role that state legislators played in securing $2.4 million in state funding toward the renovation. Several lawmakers from the Delta area were on hand, including Republican Rep. Bill G. Schuette of Midland.
"The equipment for cyber was not up to par, and you all, (regardless) which side of the aisle you were on, found common ground to do what was right for our students and our region," Gavin said. "The kind of legislators that exist in this particular region, don't exist everywhere. The state legislators in Michigan are all about what's best for students. I just want to say thank you."
Delta Board of Trustees Chair Stacey Gannon mentioned a few statistics that emphasize how important Delta is in higher education for Saginaw, Bay and Midland counties and beyond.
"A recent study found that the college contributed nearly $470 million in income to our district's economy," Gannon said. "One of every three jobs in the district is tied to the activities of Delta and its students. Seventy-nine percent of Delta graduates in the past five years remain in Bay, Saginaw and Midland counties. Ninety-eight percent of Delta graduates stay in Michigan."
Sue Roche, Associate Dean of the Business and Technology Division, summed up the expected impact of the K Wing renovation.
"This renovation is essential for these programs because not only do you want to have the appropriate technology, but you want to have the appropriate look and feel of the space," Roche said. "Also it's just an upgrade in technology in being able to have dedicated labs for cybersecurity and IT support. That's going to be very important for students."
She said several programs in computer science and information technology are on Michigan's Hot 50 Job Outlook projected through 2032.
© 2025 the Midland Daily News (Midland, Mich.). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
