The Learning Commons At Kendall Campus Gets $500,000 Facelift

When fall classes started on Monday, Kendall Campus students were greeted with a renovated Learning Commons area—the library and computer courtyard—in the 2000 building.

Upgrades include new carpeting, desks and privacy panels, study pods, soft seating areas, six additional study rooms, and supplemental whiteboards and power outlets

Another new feature is an electronic turnstile that must be accessed using the visitor’s student or employee MDC card.

The computer courtyard is located in Room 2117 and the library is on the second floor. Total renovations cost more than $500,000.

“I’m excited to see students back on campus and seeing them excited about the space,” said Meredith Krall, the associate director of the Kendall Campus Learning Commons.

The makeover started in July of 2020, four months after the College closed due to COVID-19 but the project encountered issues because staff was not on-site for a good chunk of that time due to the pandemic.

“​​The fact that we were remote was a challenge because we weren’t here 24/7,” said Jennifer Diptee-Martos, director of the Kendall Campus Learning Commons. “So, if there was a measurement that was needed or a request, you know, we weren’t on-site to necessarily have a quick turnaround.”

Most of the furniture was delivered this summer. 

The College decided on the upgrades after noticing that the facility was dated. For example, students were forced to sit on the floor to charge electronics because that is where some of the charging ports were located. 

In 2018, the department convened a focus group made up of students and faculty to see what was missing. 

The findings showed that creative spaces, improved seating, new desks and additional group study areas and power outlets were sorely needed. 

“It became a real campus effort to make sure that a new Learning Commons was available to the students,” Diptee-Martos said. “That it was more engaging and conducive to different types of learning.”

For the past 15 years, the computer courtyard had about 230 individual study carrels made of fabric panels. They were removed because, despite regular cleanings, the material was extremely dirty. The new study carrels feature frosted glass separators.

New carpeting was added throughout the first floor, along with new desks and seating areas that allow visitors to sit in groups or individually.

Room 2118 is a space for students to practice mock interviews and the area can also be reserved for interviews.

The writing and student success lab, previously in Room 2119, was moved to the second floor where the library is located. 

That area is now a creative space with high-top tables, soft seating and couch-type furniture. To inspire academic collaboration, the space has whiteboards and two rooms for faculty to teach. 

The multi-disciplinary study hall, located in Room 2120, allows students to work together on projects and assignments.

“Whether you’re an individual learner or you work better with groups, or in a pair, we made sure that these rooms were created for that,” Diptee-Martos said.

The second floor features four study pods—small private seating areas that have a desk and power outlets—individual and group-study desks with frosted glass separators and six new study rooms. 

However, it still has a few areas that have not been completed. New carpeting will be installed soon and six study rooms and eight more study pods will be added. In addition, the writing and student success lab has to be organized. 

In the first two days of the fall semester, more than 1,200 students visited the Kendall Campus Learning Commons, according to Diptee-Martos.

Megan Einbinder was drawn to the revamped space. She recently visited the area, utilizing one of the study pods to do her online school work. 

“It’s perfect for privacy if you don’t want to see other people or deal with COVID-19,” Einbinder said. “You can easily concentrate and not be distracted.” 

Thomas Aleman remembers how the library was before the upgrades and appreciates the additional private spaces and charging ports.

“I really like this space,” said Aleman, a Kendall Campus biology student. “It’s a big move.”

The Kendall Campus Learning Commons is open Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, call (305) 237-2292.