JBU provides update on ongoing building projects

For students returning back to campus at John Brown University this fall, things may have looked a little different.

“This summer, JBU completed several deferred maintenance projects and two ‘renovation’ projects,” said Julie Gumm, the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for the school.

Some of the projects included additional lighting in the quad, replaced carpet on the second and third floor of the Cathedral, the dish room in Kresge Dining Hall was repaired and renovated, and there was an office addition in the Student Counseling Center.

Gumm said one of the larger changes from this summer was a renovation for on-campus apartments.

“The Sheridan Townhome apartments were renovated. This is part of a $1 million renovation of the Sheridan Townhomes, 100 percent covered by generous donor gifts.”

Perhaps the biggest change was the refresh and remodel of Walker Student Center, which cost approximately $500,000, funded by a mix of donor gifts, foundation grants and institutional reserves, Gumm said.

In addition to new carpet throughout the building and a new coat of paint in the gathering space, Gumm said the remodel included “furniture repair and replacement, purchase of additional furniture for the gathering area and outdoor furniture for the outside, second-floor balcony and the creation of the Abila Conference Room in the Bible department, which was partially funded by donor gifts.”

A new lounge for commuters is also a major part of the refresh in the Walker Student Center.

“The new commuter student lounge was created in the area of the previous mailboxes,” Gumm said. “This area gives commuter students a larger gathering area in the heart of campus space.”

She continued, saying, “The lounge includes a small kitchen area, lockers, both lounge and study seating, a television, an electric fireplace and a conference/ study room with a large display.”

The lounge is open to commuter students via ID access.

Gumm said that this is just the beginning.

“Through our normal planning processes, JBU is evaluating ideas and funding sources for possible future projects, including some related to esports, athletic field upgrades, outdoor student spaces, an interior Cathedral renovation, and the renovation of the Learning Resource Center, including

an academic success center,” she said.

Plans for the academic success center have been circulating since early this year, when the student newspaper, The Threefold Advocate, published an interview with JBU President Chip Pollard, which included proposed plans for the new layout.

“There’s going to be an academic center on the first floor of the Learning Resource Center that’s about academic support. We’ll be bringing our Student Support Services, Writing Center tutoring and the office of diversity there,” said Pollard.

“We are talking about moving the coffee shop down the hill up to more at the center of campus,” Pollard said. “Then, the library would be moved to the second floor where there’s a big open area to create a bigger reading room.”