It’s the start of a new academic year, which means new classes, new professors, new logins, updated software, and … newly improved campus spaces for kicking back and relaxing?
That’s right. Several areas around campus were reconfigured and refurnished over the summer to encourage student socializing. It’s part of the university’s ongoing efforts to strengthen student engagement, well-being, and mental health.
“WPI has a lot of study spaces for students, but it’s also important to create designated social spaces because students need to connect and have fun,” says Matt Foster, director of Housing & Residential Experience.
The newly configured social spaces are sprinkled throughout campus, in East Hall, Founders Hall, the Goat’s Head, and the Morgan Wedge (see Changing Places, below). They are available to both undergraduate and graduate students.
Behind the new pool table, two students play a video game in the East Hall social lounge.
During listening sessions with the Mental Health and Well-Being Task Force in 2022 and in the 2023 enrolled student survey, students asked for more campus spaces to socialize. That feedback is one of the reasons why reviewing how non-academic spaces are used around campus has been a priority for Foster since he became director of Housing & Residential Experience in 2022.
“If we can be more intentional about how we design and furnish mixed-use spaces in public areas, I think we will see a shift in the usage and energy that’s happening there,” Foster says.
And while some of the changes this summer took place in residence halls, partners from across the university have been instrumental in the efforts. These partners include Campus Center Operations, the Dean of Students Office, Dining Services, the Facilities Office, the Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Multicultural Education, and the Student Activities Office.
“Social spaces create hubs for relationship building, friend making, and peer support,” says Emily Perlow, assistant vice president and dean of students. “The intentional design of these spaces to encourage relaxation and socialization is critical to student belonging and well-being.”
