By Caleb Wheeler | Staff Writer
The start of the school year brought the opportunity to live in the newly renovated Collins Hall. What was once known as “Crusty Collins” by some of its residents has now undergone a $41.7 million renovation. The renovation included a new building entrance, a grand lobby, a faculty-in-residence suite and a fitness room.
“It’s so cool being able to see God’s creation,” San Francisco freshman Ashlyn Loberg said about the lobby skylight.
The renovation brought nothing but benefits, Loberg said.
“We are so blessed to be living in a renovated dorm … where you walk into this big lobby where everybody can just hang out,” Loberg said.
The renovation also brought freshly painted rooms, updated floors, private closets, pod-style community bathrooms and even men’s bathrooms on each floor — a first for Collins.
“I have mixed opinions about the pods,” Austin freshman Megan Molly said. “The pod bathrooms are great for privacy, and they’re easier, but it’s such a different feel from group bathrooms.”
With its cleanliness and modern touches, the updates made Collins feel like a hotel, Molly said.
“The sinks in the rooms are convenient, and there’s a lot of outlets, which is really great,” Molly said. “Closets are really spacious, which is absolutely fantastic.”
Dr. Lesley McAllister is the first faculty-in-residence in Collins history. With her addition, every residence hall on campus now has a faculty-in-residence. She said this is important because it provides a faculty presence that humanizes professors and allows students “to see them as people.”
McAllister said she appreciates the amount of work that was put in to ensure enjoyable conditions for students and faculty.
“Everyone who walked in on move-in day was astonished,” McAllister said. “The new renovation is absolutely wonderful.”
