Facility Focus (Student Commons and Informal Learning Spaces)
University of Arkansas: Student-Athlete Success Center
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
Looking to provide a facility to address the academic, nutritional, personal and professional development of more than 460 student-athletes, the University of Arkansas called upon Heery International and WD&D Architects to set a new standard with the Jerry & Gene Jones Family Student-Athlete Success Center.
The 55,000-square-foot, $23-million facility combines the Bogle Academic Center and Sport Nutrition Center. The layout of the building offers a variety of spaces that encourage interaction and academic achievement with a central lobby serving academics on one side and dining on the other. The large, open spaces promote interface amongst teammates and cross-team interaction, while the smaller, private spaces allow for a more focused study environment. In total, the project includes 30+ tutor rooms, 5,000 square feet of open study and lounge space, 3,800 square feet of computer and group lab space, a 135+ seat auditorium, 90+ seat multipurpose room and academic counselor offices.
The Jones Success Center also houses a wellness wing for a sports psychologist and dietitians as well as areas specific to student-athlete development with the Razorback Leadership Academy and community outreach and the Educational Enrichment Services for accelerated learning. The Sports Nutrition Center, with a full-service kitchen and seating for 250 student-athletes, emphasizes convenience to maximize the student-athletes’ time.
The main focus in the design was to increase student-athlete efficiency and effectiveness. The end result was a one-stop shop for all of the aforementioned areas for student-athletes to maximize their time throughout the day. The Jones Success Center will serve as the hub for student-athletes to interact and call home. It will be the most used facility during their time as Razorbacks, and the programs they participate in while in the building will also impact them for their rest of their lives.
This article originally appeared in the issue of .