Renovations happening on the William Peace University campus are addressing the university’s need to change structurally and technologically to keep up with the world around it.
One renovation that has taken place was for the Center for Immersive Learning that is now open on the second floor of the Lucy Cooper Finch Library. The center is meant to create a versatile setting that can both be used for students while studying and also as an additional classroom on campus. By helping the students approach learning and studying through a more hands-on initiative during class time, Peace is hoping to provide an overall better and more engaging learning environment for both students and professors.
The Center for Immersive Learning and the Center for Student Success will be holding pop-ins with raffles, snacks and swag on Tuesday, Oct. 8, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Stop in to learn more!
John Cranham, Associate Vice President for buildings and grounds, said that the center is designed to be an “immersive classroom experience” that is easily accessible and open for students to utilize. It has 35 seats in a classroom setting, called the “Collaboratory,” with open space for up to 40 more, he said via email.
“The evening hours of the Collaboratory will see the “classroom setting” to be used for larger group study space while the balance of the space utilizing the remainder of the study rooms for single and group prep,” said Cranham. “The entire floor can be opened up by collapsing the glass wall to share large events up to 100.”
“I like it, it’s very spacious,” said Student Body President Deja Gainey, a political science major.
Student Government Association Chief Financial Officer and junior at Peace, Matthew Hopkins, said that he spent a lot of time on the second floor of Finch last semester and plans to spend just as much time in the new space.
“I haven’t used it this semester, but I’ve heard good things about it,” said Hopkins. “I’ve heard that people like it more up there than on the first floor.”
Not all students are thrilled though about the changes. Senior, Joshua Kelly said that the renovations to the space are “cool but unnecessary.”
“They should fix what they need to first before adding new things,” said Kelly. “The money used to improve that should’ve been used to renovate the quality of life in the dorms, or like the dishwasher in the caf.”
Cranham mentioned that these projects include that of “soft roof repair” to the Herman Building, and upgrades to get rid of water and pest penetrations, an evaluation of campus spaces for meetup places for students as well as improved ADA accessible pathways, roof repairs to the Belk kitchen area, an HVAC upgrade in Finley, furniture replacements in various residence halls, and the development of a “Campus Landscape master plan.”
These changes and renovations are being made in efforts to improve not only the look and necessary repairs, but to also revamp and provide a more immersive and engaging learning experience for all who attend the university.