After an extensive period of time spent planning for the grand opening of Saint Anselm College’s new and improved center for students, leaders of the project have confirmed that the center is on track to open its doors by the end of March– only two short months away. William Furlong, Saint Anselm’s associate Vice President for Facilities and the manager overseeing the project, remarked, “There’s a lot that has to happen between now and March.” However, he gladly shared the news that construction has progressed relatively smoothly and is still scheduled to finish by their proposed completion date, despite the various obstacles faced over the course of the building’s development.

In regard to the Center’s brand new features and design, Furlong began, “We’ve increased the building’s space by an additional 15,000 square feet,” allowing for the construction a new auditorium on campus, as well as countless other exciting amenities. According to the project’s original design, the first floor will be dedicated to programs “at the core of the college’s mission,” including the Meelia Center for Community Engagement, Campus Ministry, the Multicultural Center, and the Career Development Center. In addition, the Campus Bookstore and a new cafe will also be located on this level.

On the second floor, you will find programs directed towards student academic success. Instead of receiving tutoring in the parking-lot trailers on campus, students will be able to utilize the ample amount of space in the new and improved Academic Resource Center to receive assistance in any academic practice of choice. The second floor includes designated areas for tutoring, private testing rooms, as well as the offices of the College’s academic deans.

Finally, the ground level will be dedicated to student life. On this floor, student’s can find the Campus’ Leadership Program, the Student Government Association, and all sorts of student activities to take part in in-between homework sessions. According to Furlong, the Mail Center which is also located in the basement, “is adjacent to part of the game room, which will have ping-pong, a pool table, foosball, and two TV’s that are compatible with various gaming systems.” The idea behind the Mail Center and game rooms’ close proximity was designed for students to conveniently run into friends while going to pick up their mail.

Another exciting announcement that has just recently been disclosed is the proposed inclusion of a Starbucks Cafe in the dining area of the Student Center. So if you’re not already counting down the days for the Center to open, this revelation will surely have you anxiously awaiting the savory taste of lattes, cappuccinos, macchiatos, and mochas comings straight to you from our very own Saint Anselm College campus.