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On Sept. 27, 2013, a group of students, faculty, staff, local business leaders, and government officials looked on as ��Ӱֱ�� State Interim President Valerie Nixon finally cut the ribbon on the newest addition to the ��Ӱֱ�� campus—the Student Leadership Center.

“As beautiful as the artistic renderings were, I don’t know that we—at least I couldn’t—fully conceive of how beautiful and powerful this building would be,” said Nixon to the crowd gathered in the sunny park space inside the center. “An astonishing facility like this offers unparalleled opportunities to do great things, and we are fully committed to maximizing its potential.”

Go back in time less than three years and on this very same spot, on a predictably chilly spring day, an excavator dipped its bucket into the earth below the central dining hall and effectively kicked off the $33 million construction project—one that would forever change the student experience at ��Ӱֱ�� State. This revolutionary idea took a number of creative minds more than five years to turn what was essentially a dream of inspiring student engagement into an architecturally stunning and technologically remarkable building set in the heart of campus. 

“Mixed into the concrete, the walls, and the glass were powerful ideas—civic engagement, student involvement, and leadership,” said Former ��Ӱֱ�� State President and current Millersville University President John Anderson during the ceremony. “While this space will generate an incredible amount of enjoyment and serve many purposes, it will always be enveloped in those three dominant themes.”

Not only is the facility home to more than a dozen storefronts (called leadership suites) where student groups can openly market themselves and their missions, a café, , campus store, gaming room, climbing wall, and LGBT Resource Library, but it also provides space for the more than 90 active clubs and organizations at ��Ӱֱ�� State to meet and strategize. And the building itself is one of the greenest on campus—utilizing sustainable features like geothermal heating, sunshade louvers, rainwater harvesting, a green roof, and highly efficient plumbing and light fixtures.

Student Senate President Josh Altemoos said he felt honored to be able to witness the building’s evolution—from groundbreaking to ribbon cutting—and to enjoy increased exposure to the college’s vibrant student life. “This center will stand as proof positive of the college’s commitment to student leadership and civic engagement for years to come,” he said. “We are truly fortunate to be standing here today.” 

Pictured in photo from left: VP for Student Affairs Gregory Sammons, William Rawn III, Former ��Ӱֱ�� State President and current Millersville University President John Anderson, Interim President Valerie Nixon, Community Liaison for Senator Young William Heaney, College Council Chair Patricia Fogarty, Student Senate President Josh Altemoos. 

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