Kehinde Hopkins

The Martin University Center Student Lounge is located on the first floor in room 126.

The Division of Student Affairs has plans to transform the Martin University Center student lounge into an ‘intercultural lounge’. 

The remodeling would see multicultural murals painted on the walls, new furniture purchased and further cultural decorations installed. Dr. Dennis Hall, dean of students and vice president of student affairs, has been the primary coordinator of the plans. 

“It celebrates the fact that we are a diverse and intercultural campus,” Hall said. “The diversity among our students here is a wonderfully beautiful thing.” 

Planning for the renovations began in summer 2024. While the original goal was for the refurbishment to be completed in the current fall semester, a lack of progress has led to a revised target of early Spring 2025. 

“A few students and I were discussing potential artwork and murals for that space and it just kind of stalled out,” Hall said. “We just kind of hit a roadblock, I think we all got kind of busy as well, so we just got to pick it back up.” 

Hall has worked closely with the Black Student Association for consultation and even to select local muralists to paint the artwork. Hall plans to consult other cultural student organizations such as the Latin Student Association and the International Student Organization later in the process. 

“[We want it to be] a hub for student engagement around the topics of culture and fighting for the changes we need to see,” Hall said.  

The intercultural lounge would regularly host events related to multiculturalism and inclusion. Bertie Gardner, assistant director for student diversity and inclusion programs, reflected on this possibility. 

“When it was first mentioned, I thought it was really cool,” Gardner said. “… having a dedicated space for programs [so that students] won’t have to run all over campus to find where a diversity, equity and inclusion event is.” 

An additional feature proposed to be a part of the revamp is an ‘intercultural library’. Hall has collaborated with the West Library to explore the possibilities and what that may look like. Library Director Elizabeth Howard suggested that a ‘book vending machine’ that would dispense free-to-borrow multicultural literature and media may be installed. 

“Reading about cultures and other experiences has been proven to increase empathy and cultural awareness,” she said. “The more people we could get to do that [the better].” 

For more information, contact Hall @[email protected].