
Otterbein University Opens Renovated Campus Center Dining Space
Otterbein University officially opened its newly renovated dining space in the Campus Center on Monday, marking the completion of a major project to enhance the student dining experience and improve campus facilities. The renovation includes substantial updates to the dining area’s layout, infrastructure, and food service options, reflecting the university’s broader efforts to support student life.
The redesigned space features an open-concept layout that incorporates a variety of food stations, offering expanded menu options to accommodate diverse dietary preferences. Flexible seating arrangements encourage individual study and group gatherings, with areas that can be easily reconfigured to suit different needs. The renovation also introduces dedicated zones for grab-and-go meals, providing convenient options for students with busy schedules.
One of the key updates is the reimagined 1847 Dining Room, which now serves as a multi-purpose space for smaller meetings, events, and more intimate dining experiences. The kitchen facilities have also been modernized to improve operational efficiency, streamline food preparation, and support sustainable practices through energy-efficient equipment and waste reduction measures.
University administrators say the renovation is part of an ongoing effort to create inclusive, student-centered environments across campus. In a video announcing the opening, Otterbein President John Comerford said, “This is your living room on campus, and you're welcome all the time. Going to have community right here in the new Cardinals nest. Can't wait to see you in it.”
The renovation of the Campus Center dining area is part of a series of infrastructure projects to enhance the overall campus experience. Otterbein officials note that future improvements will continue to focus on accessibility, sustainability, and creating spaces that support both academic and social engagement.
The Neverending Job
As part of the winter work crew spent their day with the annual mowing of the fields at Sharon Woods Metro Park, another crew continued the seemingly neverending job of clearing leaves from the park's open areas.
Clearing leaves begins in the fall and continues to almost the start of spring, as today’s tasks showed.
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