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The Grand View Student Center is only in its second year of life but thriving nonetheless. After receiving generous gifts and grants to become fully funded, breaking ground and opening its doors for the 2015 fall semester, the project has been a supreme labor of love for the Des Moines metropolitan community. The building was originally intended to provide an outlet for students, faculty and community members to pursue wider opportunities, as well as continued academic excellence on behalf of the university.

Director of Conferencing Nicholas Kavanaugh is a constant presence in the building and the go-to man for all Student Center happenings. As director of conferencing, all events held in the Student Center begin and end with him. Kavanaugh works with all groups, internal and external, who might be looking at using the space, and also handles all summer camps and activities. His job and many other primary Student Center roles were added when the building opened in 2015. He said the university first had a vision of bringing on the new department and conferencing staff, so that they could help increase conferencing here at Grand View, and is pleased to be playing a part in carrying out that vision.

The demographic that the new Student Center has most affected is inevitably Grand View’s student body. Offering a new study area and an express dining shop, the center has become one of the main student social hubs on campus.

“CJ’s place has definitely become a hot study space,” Kavanaugh said. “Students are in there all the time. Having GV Express I think also helps, so students can stop by and get their grab-n-go-type items.”

In addition to dining opportunities, the new building serves as an exceptional space to promote student clubs and organizations. Kavanaugh said that probably 95% of the groups on campus give out information about their organization and events in this building.

“It is a place for members of clubs and organizations to convene, as the current generation of Vikings attempt to give back to their community,” said Kendall Antle, GV junior and Student Body President.

Grand View students and faculty surely benefit from the new building daily. However, the Student Center’s prosperity goes far beyond campus boundaries. Its stunning new look has given a lift to the area and opened the door for community members to take advantage of the conferencing services Grand View has to offer.

“The building gives Grand View an entirely fresh face to show community members how we’re improving and revitalizing ourselves, and how they can be a part of it,” Kavanaugh said.

Community members far and wide have utilized the space for external purposes. Some of the organizations that have been through frequently are Des Moines Public Schools, East Des Moines Democrats, Crossroads of Iowa, Youth Policy Institute of Iowa, Habitat for Humanity and Upward Bound. Essentially, the Student Center is here to meet the conferencing needs of organizations of all shapes and sizes.

After only two years of existence, there is a lot in store for the Grand View University Student Center. Kavanaugh said the original intent for the building is already being fulfilled but would love to see even more growth.

“It’s a great space. It has lots of different options for different things,” Kavanaugh said. “I would love to continue to plan more and more conferences and events, and just help boost more student organizations in general too.”

“In all, the Student Center has culminated an environment that promotes what our university has to offer,” Antle said.

Grand View University constantly strives for excellence and unity in all regards, and the new Student Center is no exception, acting as a token of that which the university stands for.

The Student Center is also currently up for the AIA (American Institute of Architects) People’s Choice Award 2017. This is a chance for the public to vote on their favorite recent substantial building project in Iowa. Grand View is currently in 6th place, but there is still time to give your input and support Grand View’s Student Center. Voting closes at midnight on April 26th.