PARTNER SPOTLIGHT:
CREATING SPACE FOR OPPORTUNITY AT ST. CHARLES COMMUNITY COLLEGE
St. Charles Community College saw an opportunity to turn underutilized campus space into one of its greatest strategic assets.
We wanted this to be a space people would talk about after they left. A place where students could experience learning differently, where faculty could try new approaches and where our community could see the direction SCC is moving.
Dr. Barbara Kavalier,
President and CEO of St. Charles Community College
Dr. Barbara Kavalier,
President and CEO of St. Charles Community College
Key Facts
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St. Charles County, Missouri
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First community college in the Midwest to implement Dreamscape Learn
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10,000+ credit students annually
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25,000+ noncredit learners annually
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Center for Immersive Learning opened August 2025
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Faculty building immersive experiences with the Dreamscape Developer Kit
THE CHALLENGE: MAKING EVERY SQUARE FOOT COUNT
Campus space is one of St. Charles Community College’s most valuable assets. When college leaders identified underutilized space on campus, they saw an opportunity to create something that could advance student success, strengthen teaching and help SCC stand out.
The opportunity prompted college leaders to rethink the role campus space could play in the college’s future. Rather than starting with the facility itself, leaders focused on what they wanted the space to make possible for students, faculty and the broader community.
“The smart use of space is not simply a facilities issue; it is an essential part of student success and engagement,” said Amy Koehler, Provost and Chief Academic Officer at St. Charles Community College. “Thoughtfully designed spaces bring students back to campus by creating innovative and exciting environments that encourage connection, collaboration, and learning."
At Villa de Paz, the impact showed up quickly.
Students began adding Dreamscape lab days to
their phone calendars so they would not miss them. Teachers heard students talking about the modules at lunch, at recess and in other classrooms. Those conversations were not limited to the storyline. Students were using stronger scientific vocabulary, talking through problems and making connections to the work they were doing in class.
When we created our Center for Immersive Learning, we transformed a traditional learning environment into an innovative destination where students feel inspired, excited, and connected.
Amy Koehler, Provost and Chief Academic Officer at St. Charles Community College
Amy Koehler, Provost and Chief Academic Officer at St. Charles Community College
SOLUTION: USING DREAMSCAPE LEARN TO CREATE A NEW KIND OF CAMPUS DESTINATION
SCC set out to transform the underused campus space into a destination that reflected the college’s commitment to innovation.
As part of that effort, college leaders visited institutions across the country to explore new approaches to campus design and instruction. A visit to Arizona State University introduced them to Dreamscape Learn and a new way to think about what campus space could become.
College leaders saw Dreamscape Learn as an opportunity to engage students in challenging subjects through immersive, story-driven experiences while giving SCC the ability to expand immersive learning across disciplines over time.
In 2024, SCC announced a partnership with Dreamscape Learn, becoming the first community college in the Midwest to bring the company’s cinematic immersive learning experiences to students.
The partnership aligned with SCC’s priorities around student success, innovation and workforce readiness while establishing the Center for Immersive Learning as a cornerstone of the college’s long-term academic strategy.
OUTCOME: A NEW DESTINATION FOR LEARNING
The Center for Immersive Learning opened in August 2025, bringing together free-roam virtual reality experiences, immersive classrooms and collaborative spaces in a destination designed around active, experiential learning.
The investment is expanding opportunities for faculty across the college. Using the Dreamscape Developer Kit (DDK), the Immersive Learning Design Team is reviewing ideas submitted by faculty across disciplines, including Sociology, English, Chemistry, Biology, History and Communications, to identify where immersive learning could have the greatest impact.
Like many school leaders, Dr. Jennifer Cruz was seeing students become less engaged with school, particularly in middle school. The signs were clear: attendance, classroom behavior, assignment completion and the quality of student work all reflected whether students saw purpose in what they were being asked to do.
“We were seeing a drop-off in motivation,” said Dr. Jennifer Cruz, superintendent of Pendergast Elementary School District. “Students just weren’t seeing the why behind the work.”
For Dr. Cruz and her team, the issue was not student ability. It was a mismatch between students’ lives outside school and the way they were often asked to learn inside school.
Pendergast serves a diverse student population in west Phoenix, and district leaders worried that too many students were being left behind by a system that no longer matched how young people learn, connect and pay attention. Students were growing
up in a world shaped by immersive media, gaming and digital storytelling. School needed to give them learning experiences that felt more active, relevant and worth their effort.
“We have a significant engagement challenge because of the structural problem that we face,” Dr. Cruz said. “Students live with technology. They form relationships through
The Center for Immersive Learning opened in August 2025, bringing together free-roam virtual reality experiences, immersive classrooms and collaborative spaces in a destination designed around active, experiential learning.
The investment is expanding opportunities for faculty across the college. Using the Dreamscape Developer Kit (DDK), the Immersive Learning Design Team is reviewing ideas submitted by faculty across disciplines, including Sociology, English, Chemistry, Biology, History and Communications, to identify where immersive learning could have the greatest impact. Beyond the classroom, the
Center for Immersive Learning has become a place where prospective students, K-12 partners, employers, and the broader community can experience SCC’s vision for the future of teaching and learning.
By transforming underutilized campus space into a center for immersive learning, SCC established a long-term foundation for teaching and learning, giving the college new ways to engage students, support faculty and create immersive experiences that will continue to grow with the institution.
Beyond the classroom, the Center for Immersive Learning has become a place where prospective students, K-12 partners, employers, and the broader community can experience SCC’s vision for the future of teaching and learning.
By transforming underutilized campus space into a center for immersive learning, SCC established a long-term foundation for teaching and learning, giving the college new ways to engage students, support faculty and create immersive experiences that will continue to grow with the institution.
technology. School is such a different and old construct that it just doesn’t fit.”
For Pendergast, the challenge became part of a broader effort to rethink the middle school experience and give students access to opportunities often associated with far wealthier communities.
Bringing Dreamscape Learn to SCC is just the beginning. We’re already working with faculty to identify where immersive learning can have the greatest impact. As we evaluate those ideas, we’re building a foundation for experiences that reflect our curriculum and the needs of our students.
Andrea Compton, Assistant Vice President at St. Charles Community College
Andrea Compton, Assistant Vice President
at St. Charles Community College
LEADERSHIP TEAM
Josh Reibel
CEO
Lisa Flesher is the Chief of Realm 4, Project Acceleration at Arizona State University where she helps guide unique, technology-enhanced projects to advance initiatives in Realm 4 - Education Through Exploration. An example of this work includes Dreamscape Learn which empowers learners through fully immersive and interactive VR learning experiences. Her background includes developing technical tools and solutions focused on student support and success, including Starbucks, Global Freshman Academy, me3, and our partnership with the...
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Aaron Grosky
President and COO
Lisa Flesher is the Chief of Realm 4, Project Acceleration at Arizona State University where she helps guide unique, technology-enhanced projects to advance initiatives in Realm 4 - Education Through Exploration. An example of this work includes Dreamscape Learn which empowers learners through fully immersive and interactive VR learning experiences. Her background includes developing technical tools and solutions focused on student support and success, including Starbucks, Global Freshman Academy, me3, and our partnership with the...
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Agatha Ladd
Chief Financial Officer
Lisa Flesher is the Chief of Realm 4, Project Acceleration at Arizona State University where she helps guide unique, technology-enhanced projects to advance initiatives in Realm 4 - Education Through Exploration. An example of this work includes Dreamscape Learn which empowers learners through fully immersive and interactive VR learning experiences. Her background includes developing technical tools and solutions focused on student support and success, including Starbucks, Global Freshman Academy, me3, and our partnership with the...
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Amit Kumar
General Counsel
Lisa Flesher is the Chief of Realm 4, Project Acceleration at Arizona State University where she helps guide unique, technology-enhanced projects to advance initiatives in Realm 4 - Education Through Exploration. An example of this work includes Dreamscape Learn which empowers learners through fully immersive and interactive VR learning experiences. Her background includes developing technical tools and solutions focused on student support and success, including Starbucks, Global Freshman Academy, me3, and our partnership with the...
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Fiona Quinn
Chief People Officer
Lisa Flesher is the Chief of Realm 4, Project Acceleration at Arizona State University where she helps guide unique, technology-enhanced projects to advance initiatives in Realm 4 - Education Through Exploration. An example of this work includes Dreamscape Learn which empowers learners through fully immersive and interactive VR learning experiences. Her background includes developing technical tools and solutions focused on student support and success, including Starbucks, Global Freshman Academy, me3, and our partnership with the...
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Chris Huff
SVP, Academic Partnerships, Dreamscape Learn
Lisa Flesher is the Chief of Realm 4, Project Acceleration at Arizona State University where she helps guide unique, technology-enhanced projects to advance initiatives in Realm 4 - Education Through Exploration. An example of this work includes Dreamscape Learn which empowers learners through fully immersive and interactive VR learning experiences. Her background includes developing technical tools and solutions focused on student support and success, including Starbucks, Global Freshman Academy, me3, and our partnership with the...
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Michael Crow
President, Arizona State University
Lisa Flesher is the Chief of Realm 4, Project Acceleration at Arizona State University where she helps guide unique, technology-enhanced projects to advance initiatives in Realm 4 - Education Through Exploration. An example of this work includes Dreamscape Learn which empowers learners through fully immersive and interactive VR learning experiences. Her background includes developing technical tools and solutions focused on student support and success, including Starbucks, Global Freshman Academy, me3, and our partnership with the...
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Walter Parkes
CEO & Co-Founder, Dreamscape Immersive
Lisa Flesher is the Chief of Realm 4, Project Acceleration at Arizona State University where she helps guide unique, technology-enhanced projects to advance initiatives in Realm 4 - Education Through Exploration. An example of this work includes Dreamscape Learn which empowers learners through fully immersive and interactive VR learning experiences. Her background includes developing technical tools and solutions focused on student support and success, including Starbucks, Global Freshman Academy, me3, and our partnership with the...
