The space that was once the Campus Life Center on the second floor of the Russell House is undergoing its transformation into the new Leadership and Service Center. Construction is scheduled to continue until January 2015, when the hub of student activities will open its doors.
The project is part of a larger renewal of leadership and community service initiatives on campus that began with organizational changes last year. Leadership Programs, Community Service Programs, Women in Leadership, Student Leadership in the Workplace and student organizations are now a part of a larger department called Leadership and Service. The new Center in the Russell House will also include a Student Government suite.
“One of the goals is to have internal collaboration among those branches. The staff under that umbrella are cross training so that the programs can be more integrated,” said Kelly Wuest, the Leadership and Service Center Director.
The offices displaced by the construction are currently operating out of the Blatt P.E. Center. The Leadership and Service Center is located in Blatt Room 217, while Student Government has temporarily relocated to the 201 Suite.
The new space will be larger and more open than the Campus Life Center, with wide bay windows on the north face of the Russell House and an expanded glass doorfront designed to welcome students and to showcase the work being done inside.
“It’s not just a space for students that are coming to have something to work on. Students can just come in to ask questions,” said Kim McMahon, Director of Campus Life and the Russell House University Union.
McMahon stated that the expansion of the glass front was also designed to increase the visibility of leadership and service opportunities for new students and visitors on campus tours. The front of the space will no longer be curved, but will extend into a side area that once held mailboxes and a vending machine.
The renovations will also include an expansion into an abandoned back stairwell that was previously being used as a storage room. This area will become an amphitheater with wood stadium seating that will serve as a conference room and meeting area.
The center will also feature user-friendly and paper-saving technology. There will be five seminar rooms where students can host small presentations and Skype with students or professionals across the globe. Digital boards and interactive screens will form a technology wall for promoting activities and planning projects. The center will also be equipped with charging stations for laptops and phones, and there will be laptops and tablets available for student use.
The furniture inside the Center will be mobile, and several open areas will make the center a multifunctional and adaptable space for students to engage. The new plan will also eliminate private offices, allowing LSC staff to work in cubicle desk stations where students will be able to interact with them more directly.
The Leadership and Service Center also plans to extend former evening business hours. The Campus Life Center was previously open to students between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.
“It’s all very exciting. I think this is a pretty pivotal moment on campus. We’re really starting to highlight the importance of leadership,” Wuest said.
The Leadership and Service Center will continue to head sponsored programs, but will also become more open to student-led initiatives. McMahon stated that the fundamental purpose of the renovation is to encourage students to increase their involvement beyond the classroom.
“USC students are so bright, but we’re so achievement-focused. There’s only one student body president every year. We want students to know they don’t need a title to make a difference,” McMahon said.
Next year, in addition to improving its space, the Leadership and Service Center will expand its services. One program that will see marked growth is the LSC’s leadership coaching program. Students will be able to schedule one-on-one appointments with staff to discuss how to initiate and market their involvement on campus.
“We want to help students make the most of their time here. This initiative is all part of our focus on all students having a leadership experience.” McMahon said. “Our goal is that students know that the way they get started is to come to the Leadership and Service Center.”