Exciting Changes Around Campus as the School Year Begins
September 02, 2007
The turning of the calendar to September marks new beginnings for colleges and universities all across the country. At Emmanuel, the start of the 2007-08 academic year represents an especially momentous time of change.
With members of the freshman class settling into their dorm rooms and beginning their academic careers as Emmanuel students, the College is pleased to welcome a class that represents the largest in school history. The Class of 2011, made up of 630 students, joins a traditional undergraduate student body of 1,750 from 30 states and 24 countries.
"The members of Emmanuel's Class of 2011 are a diverse and accomplished group of students," said Robbins. "We are delighted to welcome them to our campus and into our community."
While new students and returning students alike have likely already witnessed the current changes occurring to the physical campus, most notably the construction of the new Academic Science Center and the exterior enhancements to the Administration Building, there are a number of other exciting modifications new to Emmanuel that are sure to be of special interest to the student body and the entire community as well.
In response to feedback from students, several of the College's facilities, including the Jean Yawkey Center and the Cardinal Cushing Library, will feature extended hours this year. The Yawkey Center will now be open from 6:00 a.m.- 2:00 a.m. while the library will be open Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. - 1:00 a.m.; Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.; and Sunday, noon - 1:00 a.m.
Director of Student Center Services Mary Beth Thomas sees the extended hours for the College's facilities as a great way to provide students another space to read, study and hang out with friends for a little bit longer.
With the increased number of students and the addition of satellite housing options such as the Inn at Longwood, Howard Johnson's at Fenway Park and Rodgers Hall at Wentworth Institute of Technology, she feels the Yawkey Center will become even more of a hub on campus.
"We want to provide space for students to be, or at least give them that option," she said. "The Yawkey Center has been described as the living room of our campus, but I think of it more as a family room. It's the place where students can come and meet up with their friends. With more students residing off campus I think it will be an even more important fixture in maintaining our great sense of community."
Another change within the Yawkey Center is the new state-of-the-art equipment in the fitness center. Equipment in both the Yawkey Center and St. Joseph Hall weight rooms were upgraded this summer, with the addition of new free weights and machines to the main facility. Two new treadmills were incorporated into the mix of cardiovascular machines, as well as a new pair of Nautilus TreadClimber cardio machines and Expresso Fitness virtual reality stationary bikes. The TreadClimbers, with their unique dual-motion design, will provide students with what Director of Athletics and Recreation Pam Roecker thinks will be a "more challenging workout," as it combines low-impact walking with gradual hill climbing. The virtual bikes, meanwhile, will allow students, faculty and staff to traverse computer-generated courses and compare their performances with people all over the country.
"Our goal was to upgrade our facilities and now we feel like we have two really good fitness options for students," said Roecker. "With the new machines, anytime you can bring in something new that can add variety to someone's workout is a good thing. I think students will enjoy it."
For those looking for a little more variety from their dining options on campus, the College has re-opened a café on the plaza level of the Administration Building that provides a Tex-Mex BBQ theme. Formerly the Plaza Café, which closed in May 2004, the new Muddy River Café offers students a variety of grab-and-go options such as burritos, tacos, sandwich, soups and salad, as well as a different coffee option with Green Mountain coffee brands. Aptly named for the river that runs just outside of campus, the café is located in the former Plaza Meeting Room and will be open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. and Friday from 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. The area will also feature 80 additional seats for those looking for another place to sit and eat on campus.
"We want to make it a destination place, another place for students to dine," said Bon Appetit Manager Kelly McDonald. "The Muddy River Café provides a whole different theme and I think it will help accommodate the students more by providing them with another great option."
With the fall semester already underway, members of the administration and staff hope all students enjoy the new features around campus and wish students good luck in their pursuits this year.
Welcome back!