Remodeled lounge in Colden Hall offers place for student belonging

Remodeled lounge in Colden Hall offers place for student belonging

There's a newly remodeled space in Colden Hall for people on the Northwest Missouri State University campus to help them create, reflect and build their sense of belonging.

The School of Language, Literature and Writing has transformed Room 2920 in Colden Hall from an office to a warm and inviting multi-purpose room that encourages connection.

Decorated by students and designed for students, the lounge has been transformed and is available for relaxing, reading or studying - or even spending time with classmates and friends, eating a lunch or playing games.

The lounge is intended not just for students in the School of Language, Literature and Writing but for students of all majors - and even faculty and staff - who may need an easily accessible place to work or spend time with others and build relationships.

"It's a very good space if you have 30 minutes to an hour in between classes, especially in Colden, to find somewhere that isn't out in the open, loud, bright," said Mak Amos, a junior English education major from Kansas City, Missouri, after joining classmates and faculty for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the room on Oct. 5.

Dr. Robin Gallaher, the chair of the School of Language, Literature and Writing, said the idea for the room was born in a meeting of faculty reviewing a calendar. After sharing the idea with academic leaders, the school proceeded with remaking the space and gathering furnishings for it.

Student interns with the Green Tower Press - led by Zachary Eisentrager, a Northwest graduate assistant who is pursuing a master's degree in English - took the initiative to furnish and decorate the lounge.

The lounge also highlights Northwest's focus on sustainability through its use of repurposed items, Gallaher noted. Most of the furniture in the room came from the University's surplus collection. Additionally, Kori Binette, a senior instructor of English who grows dahlias at her home, contributed a flower display to the room.

"Most of what you see in here hopefully feels comfortable to you, and part of that is because many of the items have had previous homes and purposes," Gallaher said. "We've collected things together that we think will make the space homey and welcoming."

Eisentrager is especially proud of a box of trinkets, which students are encouraged to use as a trading spot. He hopes to add other elements, including more student-produced work, that complement the room's inviting ambiance.

"We've got some stickers from downstairs in Green Tower - just kind of the idea of people leave a trinket, take a trinket."

Gallaher emphasized the importance of identifying student needs and allowing students to design and create spaces for their use.

"There are a lot of spaces around campus that are for you all, and I hope you're seeking them out and using them," Gallaher told the students and faculty gathered for the ribbon-cutting. "I hope you do the same here with this space. I love that we had so much student involvement with making the space what it is."