The official dedication of Dickinson’s new John M. Paz ’78 Alumni & Family Center is scheduled for May 3 and will be open to all members of the Dickinson community. Renovations on the Center, located in the former President’s house, were fully funded by donors, including John M. Paz, for whom the Center is named.
The idea of the new alumni center came from both Dickinson’s Revolutionary Challenge and the work of Professor of Political Science Jim Hoefler and one of his classes. The garden is named for alumnus Sam Rose ’58, who has donated millions of dollars for scholarships to Dickinson.
The main goal of the Center is to engage alumni and families with current Dickinson students. While the Center is not yet finished, alumni events have already been held, such as a recent meeting between alumni, staff from the Career Center and students. Additionally, Delta Nu’s advisory board also hosted a meeting in the Center.
The Dickinsonian was given a comprehensive tour of the Center, led by Experience Manager Christina Salomone and Associate Vice President of College Advancement Jessica Jones Wilson.
A major priority during the renovation was to improve the accessibility of the Center. This included installing two ramps, an elevator, and an ADA-compliant restroom. The ramp and stairs have a snow melt system with a temperature reader that automatically turns on heating to prevent snow accumulation.
The center will also be the first geothermal building on campus, with related machines being located inside on the garden level.
The Center features many spaces for alumni engagement, such as the main gathering room, dining room and two high-tech conference rooms. There are also six suites that alumni can book to stay in during their visits to Carlisle, including one that is accessible. Finally, there are office spaces on the garden level that alumni or hybrid staff members can utilize while on campus.
The Center also tried to support alumni-owned businesses during the renovation process. The suite mattresses were bought from Mattress Concierge, whose managing director attended Dickinson. Towels and other related products are from L.L. Bean. The Center features a library that is stocked with past yearbooks as well as books written by Dickinson alumni and faculty.
The Dickinsonian’s inquiry regarding the total cost of the project was not answered by staff. The Alumni Center opening comes at the same time as the announcement of plans to renovate the college’s Holland Union Building (HUB) for $50 million.
