Southern’s dining hall continues to make renovations

Written by: Jehiely Balabarca

Students entering Southern Adventist University’s dining hall will find a new addition to the eating lounge: high-top round tables in January of the present year. These tables are one of many new renovations that began over the summer, updating a space that had not been revamped since the early 1990s. 

The renovation aimed to address safety concerns, including peeling walls and worn carpeting, while also giving the space a more modern look.

“The carpet was coming up and was a trip hazard,” said Laurie Worth, director of food services. “It needed repairs for safety and maintenance in the dining room. But it also, I believe, was renovated in the early ’90s, and so we just wanted something that was fresh and new and a little more modern.”

Changes to the dining hall included a reconfigured seating layout, new tables and chairs, booths, modern chandeliers and, most recently in January, the addition of high-top round tables.

Some students and staff have responded positively to the changes. According to Worth, one of the most popular updates has been the booths. 

“The students really liked the booths,” she said. “We also changed the layout of the tables, and that’s been positive as far as it’s not as overwhelming to walk in there and be met with this solid bank of tables. It’s easier to find seating.” 

Jeziel Pérez, a business sophomore major and dining hall worker, highlighted some of his favorite updates. 

“I really like the lights on the top,” Pérez said. “I thought it gave a good aesthetic, and the benches on the side, those are the things that I liked.” 

Anthony Taylor, a theology junior major, and another dining hall worker, admitted he had not initially noticed the renovation but expressed excitement about the updates.

“I normally only come here to work, so I would love to be able to go in and see the renovations and experience how it compares to what it was before,” Taylor said.

When asked what he would add to the space, Perez suggested decorative elements such as wallpapers and pictures to introduce more color into the space. Taylor also recommended accent walls and paintings to make the room “a little bit more warm and cozy.”

While the renovation has been largely completed, Worth mentioned a few potential future additions.

 “The original design of the renovation included some planters that were going to have snake plants in them,” she said. “Once we got the tables and the booths and everything all put together, we didn’t have as much space as we thought we were going to have. So we might put the planters in the windows.”

 She also mentioned the possibility of adding roll-down shades for the windows, as the curtains and blinds were removed during the project.

As students continue using the updated space, their feedback has reflected both appreciation for the changes and suggestions for further improvements.