>newground
President Herbert and dignitaries at the groundbreaking
“Think of the greatest superlative and double it,” says Karen Whitney, IUPUI vice chancellor for student life and diversity. “Only then will you come close to what the new Campus Center means to the IUPUI community.
“When you think of great places of concourse,” she continues, “the 21st century’s town squares and plazas, you think of beautiful well-planned urban malls, airports, and convention centers. The new Campus Center falls into that category. It is a 21st century version of the Indiana Memorial Union in Bloomington, one of the most prestigious student unions in the country.”
The four-story Campus Center with a 179-foot limestone and glass bell tower will become the heart of this diverse and divergent community, as a meeting place, study area, and home for student organizations. It will house a bookstore and a 600-seat dining area.
Building community is one of the great challenges of an urban campus and the Campus Center is designed to address that challenge. Research suggests that when students are engaged with and connected to a campus, they are more likely to finish their degrees.
“While we have worked to build our in-class connections for our students, with outstanding faculty, libraries, and technology, the next step is to cultivate the out-of-class connections. This building is a key part of that strategy,” Whitney explains.
Speakers at the groundbreaking ceremony recognized two major corporate sponsors: Indianapolis Power & Light Company and Citizens Gas & Coke Utility. Indianapolis Power & Light Company was the first donor to commit to the project, and its contribution will provide the kinds of wonderful amenities that state funds and student fees cannot: state-of-the-art technology for
TV screens and headphones that make it possible for students to study or watch television quietly.
Citizens Gas, for whom a common area will be named, will provide support for programming in arts and culture, diversity, and leadership. Carey Lykins, President and Chief Executive Officer of Citizens Gas, was a double graduate of IUPUI and knows about the need for such an extraordinary campus resource.
As Whitney explains, “The Campus Center is an ambitious partnership between our students, the state, the campus, and private giving. Through private giving, the center will realize its place as the soul of the campus—a place that has deep meaning as a venue for dialogue, respite, and community.”
—Liz Rosdeitcher
Take a virtual tour of the building: http://www.life.iupui.edu/campcntr.