Columbus State Foundation celebrates successful conclusion of Mitchell Hall fundraising campaign

Campus News | Monday, October 17, 2022

The Columbus State Community College Foundation has announced the attainment of its $10 million private philanthropy fundraising goal in support of the College’s newest academic building, Mitchell Hall, named after the campaign’s lead donor, Columbus-based restaurateur Cameron Mitchell.

Mitchell Hall’s funding blends philanthropy with dedicated College ($14.5 million) and state ($10 million) funding, complemented by City of Columbus-funded streetscape improvement funding ($7 million) transforming the Cleveland Avenue corridor through the College campus. Cameron Mitchell, founder and CEO, and David Miller, president and COO of Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, led the effort to secure private philanthropy for the building with lead gifts of $2.5 million from Cameron and Molly Mitchell and $1 million from Cameron Mitchell Restaurants.

“This building was created with students in mind,” Mitchell said. “We built it as a home for those who are passionate and relentless in their pursuits—a place where they can learn from those who came before them, and blaze their own trails of greatness.”

Philanthropic support for Mitchell Hall represents the Columbus State Foundation’s first coordinated capital campaign in support of the College, supported by the Foundation’s board leadership and a “kitchen cabinet” of regional hospitality industry representatives. Mitchell Hall opened in 2019 to operate the College’s culinary and hospitality management academic programs, student-supported Blend Café and Degrees restaurant spaces serving the College and surrounding community, and accessible, modern event space available for full-service conference booking.

“This is an outstanding accomplishment that showcases our community’s trust in Columbus State. Our board, donors, regional hospitality industry representatives, and College leadership worked together toward a unified vision, championed by Cameron Mitchell, to elevate top-flight culinary and hospitality programs,” said Columbus State Foundation Board of Directors Chair Robert Tannous. 

“Our thanks go out from the School of Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts to every donor who has supported the realization of our new home at Columbus State,” said Joshua Wickham, CEC, CEPC, AAC, the program’s senior director. “Mitchell Hall is the cornerstone of supportive regional hospitality and culinary talent development, as Central Ohio continues to grow exponentially as a major U.S. destination to live, work and visit.”

“Mitchell Hall represents what’s possible when we think creatively about collaboration toward a shared community benefit,” said Katy Trombitas, Columbus State vice president for advancement. “This campaign will be a springboard for what’s next in complementing public sector resources to strengthen our campus and community.”

“The undertaking to build Mitchell Hall – and the success it achieved, thanks to Cameron his team, and so many others across the hospitality industry – is a great example of something uniquely possible only at Columbus State,” said President David T. Harrison. “The partnerships and collaboration required to make this dream come to fruition are ingredients we’ll continue to nurture as we plan for the College’s bright future.”

Major donors to the Mitchell Hall capital fundraising campaign also include the Wexner Family, Heidelberg Distributing Company, Ecolab, The Wasserstrom Company, Nationwide Foundation, American Electric Power Foundation, Bundy Baking Solutions, Ingram-White Castle Foundation, Crane Group, Columbus Foundation, and Michael’s Finer Meat’s and Seafoods.

The 80,000-square-foot building was designed by DesignGroup and built by Gilbane Building Company. It features four light-filled state-of-the-art teaching kitchens, a culinary theatre, a baking lab, a beverage lab, climate-controlled lab, classrooms, and faculty offices. The event space on the second floor can accommodate 400 guests and offers panoramic views of downtown Columbus.  

Designed to accommodate 1,500 students, enrollment in hospitality programs has increased since Mitchell Hall’s completion, with in-person instruction continuing with elevated safeguards over the past few years. The new space enables expanded programs, degrees, and certificates to be offered, including recreational cooking classes through The Mix at Columbus State.

The facility design was awarded 2020 LEED Certification from the Green Building Council, the 2019 Discovery District Outstanding Achievement Award, and the 2020 Harrison W. Smith Award from the Columbus Downtown Commission.

The Columbus State Foundation helps empower individuals to change their lives while building a future-ready workforce for our community and a more prosperous shared future. For more information, visit foundation.cscc.edu.

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