Student Uniono tbe ‘hustling, bustling plac e’ Mercyhurst’s Student Union Great Room was missing the mark, said Student Government President Nick Brodfuehrer. Albeit attractive, the room had some shortcomings. For starters, the ceilings are high, and there was an echo, which could make conversations challenging. The lighting was insu f cient. And the furniture was neither comfortable nor functional. That changed with the debut of 2022. With $120,000 in student activity fees available that typically support SpringFest and other student events, which were cancelled last year due to COVID-19, $ 114,000 was earmarked for a Great Room makeover, Brodfuehrer said. At an MSG retreat, “we talked about how we could make the Student Union more appealing,” he said. “There was nothing about it t‘hat calls people in.’” The new design is reminiscent of a modern lodge – cozy, but with contemporary lines. New furniture was chosen with an eye toward comfort and softness to help absorb the echo. Sofas and chairs are arranged in conversational seating pods, and round tables are scattered around the room to stimulate interaction and collaboration. Work took place during winter break. Steph Przepiora, director of Campus Involvement, who helped oversee the project, said student fees covered most of the redesign, but the university committed to upgrading the lighting. The upgrades were not con f ned to the Great Room. The upper lounge area across from Prince of Peace Chapel was outfi t ted with new furniture. Further, Campus Ministr y f nanced new chairs in the chapel, while the university and MSG shared the cost of new tables with whiteboards in MSG Chambers.
MSG President Nick Brodfuehrer gives Mercyhurst President Kathleen Getz a tour of the renovated Student Union renovations.
“We want this to be a hustling, bustling place,” said Brodfuehrer. “It may not be in time for today’s upperclassmen, but we’re hoping to get the freshmen here and keep them coming back.”
Hospitality students treat Purple Heart veterans to dinner Students of the Statler Department of Hospitality at Mercyhurst University hosted the George Washington Dinner for 24 area members of the Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH) in early December. “Students were thrilled to do this for our veterans; they even hope to make it a yearly tradition,” said Peter Zohos, chair of the hospitality management department. In 2018, Mercyhurst became only the second university in Pennsylvania to be designated a Purple Heart University. The award recognizes Mercyhurst as emblematic of MOPH’s primary goal to provide services to veterans and their families; more speci f cally, veterans who were wounded in combat while serving their country and are now pursuing their higher education careers at Mercyhurst. Mercyhurst is ranked #15 among “Best Schools for Veterans” in the current U.S. News & World Report rankings.
Mercyhurst hospitality faculty and students pose with some of the 24 Military Order of the Purple Heart veterans at the Washington Dinner they hosted on campus at the Marriott Cafe.
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