Earlier this month, New Mexico State University’s Activity Center unveiled the new student study lounge with an open house.
On Friday, March 27. the open house hosted raffle giveaways, student organization tabling, light refreshments, and guided tours of the newly constructed fitness center.
Since 2024, the lounge has been undergoing construction from previously residing as a weight room. The idea to reconstruct the area came from Garrett Moseley, former 2022-2023 ASNMSU President.
“If there was one thing that was glaringly in need, it was the activity center that needed the most attention,” Moseley commented.
During his term as ASNMSU President, he worked with ASNMSU to secure $20,000 in funding to support the project.
This investment serves more than recreational needs. The Activity Center is also home to the Kinesiology Department, and students previously didn’t have the resources near them for a dedicated learning environment.
“We really don’t have a good study space for those that are on this side of campus,” Michelle Mason, Deputy Head of Intramural Sports and Recreation, said.
This modern renovation allows students, primarily those often located on the south side of campus, to have easy access to collaborate and study with peers in an open area.
The study space features several booths for students to socialize in, along with a range of lounge chairs and couches with power stations attached.
For study groups needing more privacy, they additionally offer study rooms to book throughout the day. The overall area is well-lit with windows facing out towards the street.
“It definitely is welcoming to students,” Tyler Copeland, a student tabling for the Aggie Health and Wellness Center, said. “I think it’s a good opportunity for students to come and experience the Activity Center.”
The lounge was designed to mirror the successful study environments located throughout campus, especially in the Zuhl Library or upstairs in the Corbett Center Student Union. Similar to these facilities, the open house mentioned that everyone is welcome to visit the new space, and that no AggieFit membership is required. However, the private rooms likely require an AggieID for reservations.
The renovation is a part of a larger project, including the recently completed fitness center, to upgrade the Activity Center, which was built 50 years ago in the 1970s.
“The fact that we actually got this done is just going to progress us to be able to renovate all the other areas in the building,” Mason said.
According to Mason, the Activity Center has plans on updating the climbing wall room in the future and hopes to work on modernizing the main gym as they have done with the fitness center.
The project was a result of lobbying by ASNMSU students, highlighting a need for students to have a dedicated area where they can work comfortably and collaboratively between classes.
“I think this Activity Center is a great success story of what can happen when the students and administration work together to deliver a tangible, positive result for the students and for our community,” Moseley said during his speech.
Developed through student leadership and ASNMSU funding, this renovation offers a much-needed academic resource for students and gives them an open and modern space for both studying and socializing.
