Eastern Michigan University’s Student Center was recently named 4th in the 25 most amazing campus student unions by Best College Reviews.
On any given day or night, EMU’s Student Center has groups holding meetings, card games and students of all majors studying hard in one of the many sitting areas. It’s also a place for people to socialize. The Student Center means something different to each of EMU’s diverse inhabitants and there is always something to experience when walking through its doors.
According to Best College Reviews, a student union is the center of affairs on campus and those that made it to the top 25 are going above and beyond to meet that definition. The complete listing of all 25 schools can be found at bestcollegereviews.com, each with a photograph and brief description. Students on EMU’s campus however may have a different idea of why the Student Center deserves to be number one on any college ranking list.
“I think that’s a fabulous tribute to those that worked so hard to make this facility what it is and to the original designers’ image of what they wanted this to be, as well as everyone that works hard here,” said Ann M. Klaes, interim director of the Student Center. “What they based the decisions on for those rankings wasn’t just what the center does but also how the students feel about it. The Student Center was designed to be student focused with student events and student priority.”
Freshman Amanda Kellsert said she uses the Student Center for multiple things.
“I like to come here with friends and just hang out, eat in the cafeteria,” Kellsert said. “I can concentrate better when I’m studying if I come here.”
The general purpose of the student union is to be the center of life for EMU students. Many events are held in the ballroom and auditorium as well as activities scattered in the many rooms therein.
The Student Center is also home to food, coffee and a store for general items students need to get through their day.
One of the many features highlighted by the Best College Review was the student center’s E-Zone where students come to play games with friends, housing game system’s currently on the market including the Wii, Xbox and Playstation as well as PCs for computer games. Students can also find groups playing card games, such as Magic the Gathering, at the tables.
The Student Center itself opened in 2006 with a total of $40.5 million spent on its construction, money well spent for thousands of students. Included are several well-known restaurant chains, the athletic box office and Chase Bank as well as EMU’s own bookstore.
Best College Review made mention of the Kiva Room, which is a 360 degree circular room designed in Native American styling that is used for meetings, events and conferences. The Kiva room was created in this fashion to mimic the way in which Native Americans originally held their meetings in a circle as a reminder that everyone is equal.
“I come here almost every day for lunch and sometimes after my classes for a coffee,” sophomore Harold Jummings said.
The Student Center can also be found on Facebook with a page dedicated to the comings and goings of groups and organizations as well as posts keeping students up to date on some need-to-know happenings. Current events range from informative conferences and game tournaments in the E-Zone.
“I use the Student Center for a lot of things,” said Jamenson Albertson, sophomore and communications major. “Whenever I have a group project for class its easier to meet here than in the dorms so we can spread out more. Sometimes I come to the ‘Zone’ and play games with a couple of my friends and my girlfriend and I meet here to hang out for coffee.”
The Student Center’s home page found at emich.edu/studentcenter houses event calendars, daily activities, resources and more for students to check out the multitude of happenings on any given night.
