Mobile, Ala. – Spring Hill College held a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday, March 16 to commemorate the opening of the Badger Den, a lounge designed to provide commuter students with a safe and welcoming space to relax or study between classes. The grand opening featured snacks, crafts and coffee from local business Yellowhammer Coffee.
“We hope that the Badger Den will be a space where students can really feel at home and hang out together,” said Provost Rebecca Cantor. “Many people have worked hard on this. The Badger Den would not have been possible without the hard work of the Commuter Club and the Title III Committee, and funding from the Title III Grant.”
For commuter students like Gabriella Erdimir, an officer of the Commuter Club, the lounge represents a meaningful change.
“I have been a commuter for my entire time here at Spring Hill College. I would go to class and eat in my car— I didn’t know people,“ said Erdimir. “We had the idea to do something to connect commuters to the community here— this space will allow for that.”
With lockers to securely store personal belongings, comfortable seating and a central location in the heart of the Mary Lou and John Barter Student Center, commuter students now have a home on campus. The Badger Den is a space to cultivate conversation and connection among students who ordinarily do not have the opportunity.
President Mary H. Van Brunt, Ph.D. said, “We’re very excited about the Badger Den. When we met as a campus community over the course of several months, one of the things that kept coming up was that we needed more spaces to gather together. We hope our commuter students take advantage of it and get to know each other and become more involved in the campus community.”
ABOUT SPRING HILL COLLEGE:
Founded in 1830, Spring Hill College is the oldest Catholic college in the Southeast and the third oldest Jesuit college in the United States. Spring Hill combines the Jesuit tradition of excellence in education and a commitment to caring for the whole person — mind, body and spirit— with innovative educational experiences. Located in Mobile, Alabama, Spring Hill’s mission is to form leaders engaged in learning, faith, justice, and service for life. As a result, Spring Hill students are engaged, inspired and transformed by their experiences.