I know that everyone returning to campus this fall is looking forward to the opening of the Markin Family Student Recreation Center. I am so happy to be able to provide you with this “sneak preview” inside the center. Your first reaction upon setting foot in this building is going to be, “it is huge!” From the championship basketball court to the jogging track, all the spaces are designed to accommodate the large number of students who will be using them. Indeed, I predict that the Markin Center will become the social hub of campus, the place people will go not only to work out and play intramural sports, but also to meet with friends in the cafe and juice bar.

The photos above show what a wonderful facility this is going to be. First, if you approach the front of the building late in the afternoon on a bright sunny day, you will see an amazing reflection of Westlake Hall in the enormous windows. The next photo shows the pool filled with water as workers test the structure. The other photos show hardwood flooring being put down in the basketball court, installation of the tall climbing wall, and the elevated jogging track.