Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College (FDLTCC) hosted a special event to celebrate the College’s beautifully updated Commons and Amphitheater area on Wednesday, December 4. The event included speeches from FDLTCC President, Anita Hanson, and FDLTCC Title III Coordinator, Jeffrey Tibbetts. Renovations in the area started in May 2024 and concluded in late November.

“As you can see, our new flooring is more than just an improvement to our facilities,” shared FDLTCC President, Anita Hanson, “It is a meaningful upgrade that reflects the cultural significance of our Tribal and non-Tribal communities. The intricate design of the flooring is a beautiful addition to a college that is known for its architectural design, symbolism, and our Union of Cultures philosophy, which embraces the blending of diverse perspectives and ways of knowing.”

The renovated Commons and Amphitheater area features a beautiful terrazzo design starting at the College’s main entrance and connecting with the terrazzo floor in the building’s south wing featuring the College’s five core values that was completed in 2019. The plans for both areas began in 2018 with meetings between DSGW staff and a number of FDLTCC employees.

“From the 2018 planning, the concept of campus-wide storytelling through a cohesive flooring design was a goal. The group wanted a vision, over time, knowing that portions of the overall concept would be executed over many years,” shared Julie Spiering, Principal Interior Designer and CFO with DSGW.

The Commons / Amphitheater floor design is divided into 3 primary sections. First, the amphitheater floor features two otters swimming. The otter design was inspired by the painting “The Twins” by FDLTCC Fine Arts program coordinator and renowned Anishinaabe visual artist, Karen Savage-Blue, to honor FDLTCC’s late Anishinaabe Instructor, Dan “Gaagigebines,” Jones and his twin brother, Dennis.

The second element of the terrazzo design features the St. Louis River Estuary. The design starts with Gichigami (Great Sea of the Ojibwe a.k.a. Lake Superior) at the Thunder Deli and continues under the space’s new tables and chairs to the Fond du Lac Reservation. The river design was chosen to represent the College’s longstanding Union of Cultures guiding principle.  A variety of place names can be seen throughout the design. The place names were chosen for their historical significance and familiarity among all people in this area.

The final portion of the design extends along the wall of windows facing the College’s medicine garden. This portion features braided sweetgrass with the 13 phases of the moon. The moons represent the cyclical and seasonal lifestyle of the Anishinaabe.

“Sweetgrass (wiingashk) is used in ceremonies, in basketmaking or as an edging, and as a medicine,” shared Tibbetts, “Ceremonially, sweetgrass can purify the air or body, and sometimes done after sage is burned, sweetgrass can then welcome positivity. The three braids represent the mind, the body, and the spirit. That is what we holistically aim to nurture and respect here at FDLTCC.” Tibbetts is the Title III Coordinator at FDLTCC and was one of the many project contributors.

The update was made possible with Higher Education Asset Preservation and Replacement (HEAPR) Funds in 2020. HEAPR funds exist for higher education capital projects that are intended to preserve and replace existing campus facilities. ​

During his speech, Tibbetts shared, “As you walk or spend time in this space, it is my hope you carry with you all the positivity, the strength, and the compassion that we have tried to represent here and chi-miigwech to all that have worked on this project.”

The updates to the Commons and Amphitheater at FDLTCC was made possible with contributions from numerous groups including DSGW Architecture, Max Gray Construction, Advanced Terrazzo & Tile, Noto Design, CMTA Engineers, Todd Signs, Pegasus Group, Minnesota State, Fond du Lac Reservation’s Cultural Language and Learning Center and Ojibwemotaadidaa Omaa Gidakiiminaang (OOG) program, and several of the College’s faculty and staff.

Testimonials

It is awesome here at the FDLTCC Education Program because it is like a family here, if you need help or are struggling with anything, you have quite a few people who will help you out.

My favorite thing about FDLTCC is the people. I’ve met fantastic students, faculty and staff who go above and beyond what I expected.

I chose FDLTCC because of its size and the curriculum. When I first came here in 2019, I was just looking for what I needed to volunteer, perhaps in a crisis shelter. I met with Don Jarvinen, and the rest is history.