SGU Unveils Campus Enhancements for New Academic Year
As the August 2024 term begins, St. George’s University has completed several exciting campus upgrades for the University community to enjoy.
“We are eager to welcome back our students, staff, and faculty to our vibrant campus here in True Blue,” said Dr. Glen Jacobs, provost at SGU. “As we continue to set SGU apart as a unique international educational center, we are excited to share our new and improved facilities.”
SGU is continually looking at ways it can improve campus life for students, staff, and faculty who hail from 140 countries around the world. The 42-acre Grenada campus is built for a safe, comfortable learning environment, with many modern amenities. The goal of the campus expansion and redevelopment efforts is to further enhance the overall student experience at SGU.
“As we prepare for the start of the new term, SGU continues to create spaces and make improvements to foster an exceptional learning environment,” said Christina Verderosa, SGU’s director of operations. “From providing greater capacity for more hands-on training to access to new technologically-advanced equipment, we truly believe these enhancements will greatly contribute to our top priority—our students’ success.”
Check out a few of the new things students, faculty, and staff can look forward to starting this term:
- Classroom renovations: This includes major renovations of the ground floor of Ray and Jan Sis Hall to expand, upgrade, and modernize the junior surgery lab and its surrounding spaces—including state-of-the-art medical training and surgery equipment. And the Charter Hall Veterinary Lab received a full face-lift with new furniture and fixtures, floor outlets, and new flooring. Last winter, Founder Annex 1 was upgraded with new tables, chairs, carpet, and floor outlets. SGU also recently updated the remaining three Founders Annex classrooms with the same configuration, adding two movable walls to split the classrooms and provide maximum flexibility.
- Multi-faith prayer area: Working in collaboration with the University’s Muslim Students Association (MSA), SGU has constructed a large prayer area located next to Marion Hall. The area has the capacity to fit over 300 people. It features a fully renovated space with new carpet, male and female ablution areas, audio system, shoe storage rooms, and prayer mats. All new fixtures including lighting, air conditioning, and fire and life safety systems have been installed. Male and female bathrooms were also added right outside of the entrance to the prayer area.
- Dog park: Sponsored by the Hills College Feeding Program, the new dog park is located between Keith B. Taylor Hall and St. Andrew’s Hall. It is more than 7,000 square feet fenced in and features a pet-friendly water fountain, an agility course, benches for visitors, and a pet waste station.
- Additional large animal farm: The new large animal farm was constructed adjacent to the existing one. It features a new barn, a field for animals, and a two-story building. The building houses faculty offices on the top floor and a large student lab, bathrooms, and faculty equipment rooms on the bottom floor.
- Small Animal Clinic conference/teaching room: This venue received a full upgrade and expansion with new furniture and fixtures, new lighting, new flooring, and an upgraded AV system. This space will also be pet friendly, with vinyl tiles.
- Nutmeg dorm upgrade: SGU has begun a multi-year effort to upgrade all campus dormitories, starting with its villa style dorms. The Nutmeg dorm is the first fully upgraded dormitory. The rooms now contain new kitchens with all new appliances, desks, tables, bathroom furniture, and fixtures. The space also features upgraded air conditioning, lighting, ceiling, and flooring.
- Tiki bar: As requested by the University’s Student Government Association (SGA), SGU has constructed a Tiki Bar on the beachfront at Andrew Belford Center. This venue is expected to host various SGA and student organization events.
– Ray-Donna Peters