By Lindsey White and Grace Beckner
Trevecca has three current construction projects underway: Jernigan student center, the health sciences building, and new apartment housing and if everything remains on track, the Jernigan building will be open for use in Spring 2022.
“We started it three months ago, so we don’t know if it’s on time or on budget yet,” said Monzu.
The building was having continuous issues and desperately needed updates, said Monzu.
“It’s not fair to Sodexo to do their work in that facility,” said Monzu. “If you don’t provide better equipment, there’s no way to provide better service.”
When Jernigan is finished the plaza with the seating areas and fireplaces will continue downhill to an outdoor video wall and will have a new max capacity to fit more students.
Monzu said Jernigan’s seating capacity will increase 62% in the remodeling, from a maximum capacity of 325 students to 525. They were also able to add “roughly 2,600 new square feet in total.”
Mysty Diehl, engagement officer for events and strategic initiatives, said the construction on campus will result in a great resource for campus life. She is hopeful, after coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic, the work on campus will result in an abundance of gathering spaces for students.
“Trevecca exists for the students, so we need to have an amazing student center,” Diehl said. “A place for students to go eat, to hang out, and just have a good time.”
The new health sciences building has a completion date between February and March of 2022.
“The health sciences building is on track and on budget,” said Monzu.
The building will connect to Greathouse and will rise four stories, with the PA program moving to the top three floors. The building is born from Trevecca’s intention to grow the STEM program.
“We just created the new school of STEM not long ago,” said Monzu.
Diehl emphasized how the health and science programs are a vital part of the Trevecca community, and also bring in revenue to the university.
“I love the fact that we will be able to have more students [in the programs], and put more students out there in the healthcare system,” Diehl said.
The new dormitories should be the last of the current construction to be completed. They will be available in Fall 2023.
Housing will be apartment style. The building will rise 6 floors, with a rooftop overlooking the city. Amenities include a workout facility, 24/7 market, technology access to doors, and a place to grill and garden in the back, said Monzu.
This will be Trevecca’s first co-ed living facility.
Diehl is excited for the much needed housing space the facility will be able to provide.
“This gives us more housing for our students, which is something that we have been lacking,” she said.
Deihl looks forward to the great days ahead as campus continues to grow and society continues to transition out of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“There are so many things we have not been able to do because of Covid, and the thing that is so exciting to me is that we are going to come out of Covid and have all of these new facilities,” said Deihl.
Diehl is confident that there is an end in sight for the construction, which she said might be adding to the “unrest” on campus.
“It has restricted even more where you can be, unless you’re outside,” Diehl said. “But we are doing all of this to better the campus for [students], I mean, that’s what we are here for.”
