By Fatima Magana '22

Photos by Emily Shar '24

ALLIANCE, OH- Over the summer, Mount Union worked on new additions to enhance the campus for students, staff, and faculty members to enjoy once on campus in the fall.  

Patrick Heddleston, vice president for business affairs and treasurer, explained that managers across campus, coaches and student senate looked over the budget, life safety, compliance requirements and educational delivery improvement to identify where work needed to be done. Although Heddleston did explain that prioritizing a project is difficult because projects are completed based on the funding that is available. 

“The projects are an outgrowth of the work done by Mount Union’s Physical Plant to do a detailed assessment of the campus every three years,” explained Heddleston. “The projects began with naming the Mount Union Stadium and the Kehres Plaza after coach Larry Kehres.” 

Lee Smith, director of Physical Plant, explained that Chapman Hall received improvements like lighting on the second, third, and fourth floors and in faculty offices, as well as new carpet and outside work like painting. The Kolenbrander-Harter Information Center (KHIC) received a new entrance with steps and handrails, improving safety.

In the 24-hour center, located in KHIC, students will enjoy the new “Market-C” 24-hour convenient store which will be unstaffed and open for those pulling an all-nighter studying in the new study rooms behind the Market-C store. 

For students who like to study, do homework, or just hang out by the lakes, a new hammock garden has been added which the poles on the west side of the north lake can hold up to four hammocks.

Students wishing to use a hammock can visit the circulation desk in the library located in KHIC and can rent them using their Purple Plus card and can use the hammock for a whole day.

“Once students are back on campus, I think they’ll love the new hammock garden and the new Market-C store in KHIC the most," stated Heddleston. 

Along with hammocks, in the southwest corner of the lakes, a new amphitheater has been added too thanks to a gift from the Class of 1972. 

"I think students will enjoy the hammock park and the new amphitheatre the most; these are great opportunities to be outside and enjoy the lakes," added Smith.

Other additions to the campus include a remodeled University Store, improvements to the parking lots and concrete areas across the campus, upgrades to many air handling systems, and some of the apartment-style housing received upgrades as well. New equipment and vehicles for campus use were also purchased. 

The band room in Cope Music Hall also received a new ceiling, acoustic treatments, new flooring, additional storage, and was repainted.

Considering technological upgrades, the university received new hardware, software, multi-media and camera system upgrades, as well as additional charging stations added across campus.

“When looking at projects, we look at the life of our infrastructure, but the comfort of our students, faculty and staff. Therefore, we like to take fall break and Christmas break to attend to noisier projects that may interrupt the campus,” explained Heddleston.