In 2019, the construction of the Hopkins Student Center was announced as a space for student social engagement. The center was expected to open in 2024, and construction began in summer 2021.
On Wednesday, Aug. 13 the University announced in an email that the Student Center (officially named the “Bloomberg Student Center”) will open Monday, Aug. 25 with regular hours from 7:30 a.m. to midnight. To kick off the event, a “First Look Celebration” will be held at 5 p.m. on opening day, according to an email sent to the student body.
In an interview with The News-Letter, rising junior Rijel Fuller shared his thoughts on the construction and the upcoming opening.
“It’s like a ‘Holy moly! They’re finally done,’” Fuller said.
The Bloomberg Student Center will feature spaces such as the Creative Media Center (CMC), the Black Box Theater, reservable multipurpose rooms and study spaces designed for student organizations to host events. The building will undergo a phased opening: Hopkins affiliates will gain access Aug. 25, while dining options will open in mid-October.
Lee Hawthorne, Associate Vice Provost for Strategic Student Initiatives, discussed the phased opening plan in an interview with The News-Letter.
“The 25th will be our big student opening — actually an affiliate opening — and we'll have kickoff events for the whole first week showcasing all of the possibilities and different ways this building can be used,” Hawthorne said. “Likely in the first couple of weeks, the CMC will be operational so students can start doing trainings, checking out equipment and using that space.”
The Bloomberg Student Center’s phased opening includes limiting public access for some time. Hawthorne elaborated on the reasoning behind this decision in her interview.
“We are still intending to eventually open it larger,” Hawthorne said. “But since we've never had a place on campus like this and with the porosity of the building and multiple entries and exits, we felt like we needed to learn how students use this building before we open the doors for the community. The intention is to learn how to operate it.”
Many students have been eagerly awaiting the completion of the Bloomberg Student Center, viewing it as an essential hub for campus life. For some, excitement about the building spans from its functionality as a social space to its role as a central location for dining and student programming.
In an email to The News-Letter, rising junior Brianna Gauto-Kennedy echoed this sense of anticipation, emphasizing her excitement for the opportunities the Bloomberg Student Center will provide once it opens.
“I have been waiting and I’m so excited for the Student Center to open!” she wrote. “I can’t wait to spend time there whether it is with friends, trying their new food or going to Hopkins’ events.”
For incoming Hopkins students, the Bloomberg Student Center announcement was a source of excitement for the upcoming semester.
In an email to The News-Letter, freshman Nehir Ozcan provided her perspective on the center’s opening as an incoming Hopkins student.
“As a freshman, I was looking forward to the Student Center opening, so it’s a little disappointing that dining won’t be available until October,“ she wrote. “Even though [freshmen] haven’t experienced much yet, events like [karaoke night hosted by the CDI] hint at the kind of energy the Student Center will bring, and I think a lot of us are looking forward to seeing it become a real hub on campus.“
In a separate email to The News-Letter, Hawthorne emphasized the building’s role in fostering community across the University.
“We are so excited to have this amazing building as a gathering space for all JHU students from across all the schools,” she wrote. “Students have been asking for ways to meet and interact with other students at all learner levels and from all schools. This building creates a great opportunity for this.”
Editor's Note: The title of this article has been updated to clarify the Bloomberg Student Center will only be open to Hopkins affiliates at this time.
