Lynchburg Redesigns Community Spaces By Za'lexia Bogan

The layout of the first floor of the University of Lynchburg's Drysdale Student Center.

After the University of Lynchburg announced a university-wide transformation that would better meet the needs of its students in May 2024, the operations team redesigned several community space allocations. 

Alexis Scott, the assistant director of Student Diversity Initiatives, said that the sudden room change was challenging because her accessibility to students is more limited than when they were hosted in the Office of Equity and Inclusion (OEI) on the second floor of Drysdale. 

The room moved to Schewel’s second floor and is now more accessible to the broader student body. Scott said that the prior space was convenient, with heavy foot traffic, but some students felt that the old area was more formal, while the new location in Schewel is more relaxed. 

“I think it's nice to have student spaces outside of the student center,” said Scott.

Prior to the room alteration, affinity groups used this space more frequently than the general student body. The room would be used for meetings, activities, or discussions related to each affinity group's mission statement. The redesign of the room and accessibility now encourage regular use by students across campus. 

Josiah Randles, the president of the Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA), said “the office relocation made a positive impact on the broader student body.” Students are increasingly using this space to unwind or socialize with their friends. 

“I feel like the space now feels more like a hangout space,” said Randles. 

The student activities section on the first floor of Drysdale was moved to Hundley. The section is now being remodeled mostly for recreational purposes, such as extra study spaces and a veterans service lounge. 

Michael Vaughan, assistant vice president of Operations, said, “Having two of those spaces on this side of campus will be very beneficial for our commuter and veteran population once the lounge area is fixed.” 

For questions about the relocation of campus areas, contact Michael Vaughan, the assistant vice president of Operations.