Community Assistant Faith Olusegun ’25 cut a ceremonial ribbon to celebrate the opening of newly renovated communal spaces on Friday, Nov.3 Lee Hall’s updated main lounge, kitchen and patio mark the first of several renovation projects in residence halls across campus being spearheaded by St. Lawrence University’s Office of Campus Activities and Residential Engagement administrators.  

Lee Hall’s common space features updated amenities such as a new flat-screen smart television, modern furniture, a water bottle filler, air-conditioning and an electric fireplace. The renovated kitchen — located in the basement — allows students to prepare meals for themselves using a new electric oven, stovetop and refrigerator. The patio offers students an outdoor space to socialize around an electric fire pit with updated lawn furniture.   

Sean Collins M’23, the residential coordinator who oversees Lee Hall, believes that these renovated spaces will attract students and encourage engagement. “When you have spaces beyond just your room or the hallway to create positive opportunities, people flock to those,” he said. “These are the types of spaces that our students deserve.”   

Additionally, Collins posits that while the Lee Lounge is in a first-year community, everyone can take advantage of it. “These spaces are for the entire St. Lawrence community; I’d really encourage our St. Lawrence community to use all of our renovated spaces to the best of their ability,” he said. Collins pointed out that other spaces also received updates. “There are lounges in Sykes and Dean-Eaton that also got some renovations, and there are plans for future renovations as well.”   

Collins hopes that these updates encourage students to take better care of their shared spaces. “The more people are utilizing a space, the more you want to keep that space available for everyone,” he said. “Everyone can see how wonderful our spaces are and how they impact our community, and I think it will make a difference long term.”  

Residence Hall Director at SUNY Potsdam Brody Campbell ’23 believes that while SLU’s new common spaces are nice, funding could have been better spent elsewhere. “People are less and less likely to use those kinds of common spaces when SLU has such a nice student center,” he said. “It seems like there are a lot of things outside of the common spaces — like the bathrooms — that are much more important to students — even the doubles themselves.”   

Lee Hall Community Assistant Ethan Tisdale ’26 believes that the new spaces have improved the residential experience. “Prior to this, we didn’t have a common room, so this is infinitely better,” he said. “I think it’s great; the residents seem to love it.”   

Some Lee Hall residents are intrigued by the new social opportunities the renovated space offers, one of them being Finn Beams ’27. “I think it’s a good place for people to interact and socialize. You get to meet the people that you live around,” he said. “It kind of gives you a second option besides just sitting in your room the whole time.” However, Beams also sees the space’s amenities as a vessel for conflict. “There could be some conflict over what to watch on the TV or what temperature to keep the room, but other than that, nothing too major,” he said.   

Another Lee resident, Michael Wimmer ’27, loves the new common lounge. “I especially love the fire outside since it’s getting cold,” he said. “There are always people using it.”  

The new Lee Lounge is one of the first large-scale residential space renovations to be completed at SLU. Students have the opportunity to define how these updated areas are used as more projects are completed and as students subsequently rediscover these spaces.