Since May 2018, the space of the D.P. Culp Student Center has served more time as a construction zone to students than a meeting place, but now that is about to change. With a grand reopening week starting March 2, the Culp Center will again become a hub for students to engage and be in community with each other.
In the days leading up to the reopening, many ETSU students, faculty members and staff played a crucial role in the process. One of these people is Leah Adinolfi, the associate dean for student engagement. Adinolfi has served at the university in many capacities. During the renovations, Adinolfi has served as liaison between groups of people to make sure that all communications are happening accordingly, so things go as planned.
“From the student perspective, to working with our leadership in Student Life and Enrollment and ensuring we are meeting their needs, to working with Facilities folks and the design team and the custodial staff and all of those things, because it all plays in to how this building is perceived by the rest of the world and how this building is ultimately going to be used,” Adinolfi said. “None of that can be neglected and someone has to know all the pieces that are happening so that we are not stepping on each other’s toes and so that we are working together in the most efficient and effective way that we can.”
While working with these groups on campus, Adinolfi noticed an increase in the number of student organizations but a decrease in event participation. She attributes some of this loss to the lack of a central location for students and hopes things will shift with the Culp Center available again.
“People depend on the Culp Center in a lot of ways to advertise events, to see those flyers up and to see what is going on — that has been missing,” Adinolfi said. “There is a central hub, where all that stuff is going to be happening, too. Even if you do not know what is going on on a Thursday night, you can probably find something that you can attend.”
She puts an emphasis on students knowing that they are welcomed and that this space was made by them, for them.
“I want this to feel like your space, because it is your space,” Adinolfi said. “I tell my staff sometimes that our customer service should be as welcoming as a warm hug. You paid for it. You helped envision it. We had many, many student leaders along the way through the design phase of things thinking through what we want.”
The Culp Center will offer events like barber shop haircuts, movies and meeting ETSU alum every week, in addition to the already scheduled events. Adinolfi is working hard to get even more new activities on the schedule.
“I am hoping to work with some local artists to bring in some crafting workshops and art demonstrations and opportunities for students to learn how to do some things,” Adinolfi said. “Everything from fiber arts to pottery or painting, whatever it might be, we want to engage.”
