Gordon State Celebrates Opening of Student Activity and Recreation Center

From left: Childress, Huckaby, Adams-French, Hopkins, Oluwole, Burns

 

A crowd of students, alumni, faculty, staff and other friends of Gordon State College were on hand Thursday for a ribbon cutting that officially opened the Student Activity and Recreation Center.

Participating in the ribbon cutting was Gordon Student Government Association President Ornella Oluwole; Hank Huckaby, chancellor of the University System of Georgia; Dr. Tommy Hopkins, member of the USG Board of Regents and Griffin orthopedic surgeon; Max Burns, Gordon State College president and former Student Government Association presidents Chris Childress and Rachel Adams-French.

Oluwole welcomed the crowd noting that the SARC is the culmination of several years of work by Gordon administration and the student government.

"I want to thank former SGA presidents who, with great passion and leadership, have contributed to us being here today," she said.

Huckaby, a Griffin native, was director of admissions in the 1970s at what was then Gordon Junior College.

"It's ironic that this building is where it is because when I came here the newest building was the gymnasium (Alumni Memorial Hall)," said Huckaby.

Gordon students were involved in development of the SARC from the beginning. Student government representatives visited student centers on other campuses, were involved in its design and approved funding for the facility through student fees.

The SARC anchors the northeast side of campus at College Drive and Highlander Way and is adjacent to Alumni Memorial Hall. Built in 1963, Alumni Memorial Hall will remain a part of Gordon's vibrant campus.

Visitors enter the SARC through a spacious lobby/lounge area. Straight ahead is an arena with bleacher-style seating for 2,100. The arena is designed to also accommodate a stage area, seating for 550 on the floor and can be divided to allow for multiple activities at one time. At one end of the arena are large screens that can be used for messaging as well as other student events. Highlander basketball games will be held in the arena.

The SARC also contains a cardio area and weight room with the most up-to-date equipment. Nearby is a game room containing both table games as well as a room dedicated to digital gaming.

There is a multi-purpose room, a lounge area as well as Sandella's, a "grab and go" meal spot operated by Sodexo, Gordon's food service provider.

An office and a meeting room for the Student Government Association as well as offices for student activities personnel are also a part of the building.