Johns Hopkins student center nearly ready for long-awaited debut

Johns Hopkins University is putting the finishing touches on its new student center, a modern multipurpose gathering space for students and other members of the Hopkins community that will begin opening its doors to students later this month as part of a phased opening.

The Bloomberg Student Center—named for JHU alum Michael R. Bloomberg, Engr '64, founder of Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies, and the 108th mayor of New York City, in recognition of his extraordinary commitment to supporting students across Hopkins—is designed to meet the evolving needs of the Hopkins student community, creating spaces devoted to fostering connections and engagement. The building includes spaces for socializing, arts programs and performances, dining, and student resources and support services.

A phased opening of student center spaces and amenities is planned through the first year of operations—food service and dining operations will open to students and university affiliates later in the fall semester, and portions of the building will open to neighbors from the surrounding community at a date to be determined after the building and its amenities are fully operational.

On the afternoon of Monday, Aug. 25—the first day of classes for the fall semester—students from across the university will be welcomed into the building during a first-look celebration beginning at 4:45 p.m. on the student center patio. The event will feature music, brief remarks, giveaways, food tastings, and guided tours.

"We cannot wait for our students—from all across the university—to walk through those doors and experience the new student center," said Rachelle Hernandez, vice provost for student affairs. "Our students have wanted a space like this for some time, a place where they can meet up with friends, be creative, and relax. This has truly been a universitywide effort, with engagement from students, alumni, donors, faculty, and staff—and we think our students are going to be blown away."

For generations, Hopkins students have voiced a desire for a dedicated student center that promotes social interaction and encourages community-building beyond the classroom. Efforts to establish a non-academic gathering space date nearly to the university's founding in 1876, but JHU's student body quickly outgrew previous iterations—including a barber shop and snack bar in Merrick Barn that served as the main campus hangout from 1916 until 1929, and several attempts to turn Levering Hall into a student union.

The university announced plans for the new student center in March 2019, kicking off a collaborative process in which input from students, staff, and faculty helped shape the vision for the building, which is located near the intersection of 33rd and Charles streets—adjacent to the Brody Learning Commons and close to the heart of Homewood campus activity.