The Events Management Office and Lutheran Center for Faith, Values and Community moved into new spaces in Buntrock Commons (BC), transitioning from their previous locations during January.
Before this change, the Lutheran Center, which was founded during the past academic year, occupied a temporary office space in Holland Hall. The Center was moved to BC 146, the space previously occupied by the Camps, Conferences, and Events Office, to serve as a more permanent location.
Due to this conversion, the Camps, Conferences, and Events Office joined with the College Events Office, which was previously located in Alumni Hall, into a renovated space in Buntrock. The combined Events Management Office is now located in what was previously the Heritage Room.
The first Lutheran Center office in Holland was shared between Academic Assistant Fiona Carson ’18 and Director of the Center Deanna Thompson ’89, in a space meant for only one occupant. With an office for each and a common area for students and visitors, the new location can serve as a space for both meetings and informal gatherings.
“We keep the door to the common space open, and are enjoying the way so many members of the St. Olaf community are coming in to our space to check it out, to say hello, to have coffee or lunch,” Thompson wrote in an email to the Messenger. “We hope members of the community find the space a welcoming one to meet or hang out or study.”
Aside from simply serving as a gathering place, the larger office will help the Lutheran Center better fulfill its mission of engaging students from all faith backgrounds, “to connect with one another, explore the big questions of life, and be nourished in mind, spirit, and body,” Thompson wrote.
The Events Management Office is responsible for the production of many of the campus-wide and externally facing events the College plans and hosts, Associate Director of Events Management Brienne Jans wrote in an email to the Messenger. The merging of the two offices into the new space in Buntrock has been a positive change for the Office, Jans wrote.
The Lutheran Center is using its new space in Buntrock to improve engagement with religious organizations from around campus and expand its own reach.
“We are in the process of hiring two student Interfaith Fellows for next year, and look forward to working with them on how the space can be utilized by students,” Thompson wrote.
The Lutheran Center will hold an open house in its new office on Tuesday, March 31 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. for members of the St. Olaf community to engage with the new space.
