Green River College unveils new student union building | SLIDESHOW

As a student at Green River College, Chelsea Fletcher wanted a space on campus for students to gather outside of the classroom.

Ten years later, her vision is a reality.

Fletcher took part in a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Mel Lindbloom Student Union on Monday at the college’s main campus in Auburn.

“Nearly a decade ago, I had a vision of a place where every student had a place to collaborate and connect with each other, a place that fostered a great sense of campus community and allowed learning, creativity and personal growth to really take root and thrive,” Fletcher said during the ceremony. “It’s here. It’s today. It’s now, and this is truly your space.”

The 65,000-square-foot facility replaces the aging Lindbloom Student Center.

“I felt like the old building was a bit more constrictive,” Fletcher said in an interview. “Just the architecture of it and the capacity didn’t have that kind of feel any more. This (new building) is really just taking Green River into a new era.”

After touring the new student union, Fletcher, who was chief justice for Green River’s student body while attending the college, said she was impressed.

“It is more than I ever imagined when sitting down a decade ago with potential builders and architects,” she said. “We had about a half dozen designs. This is better than any of the designs I recall. I love that it is an open-concept building. I love that there are dedicated spaces for people to just gather and be together.

“I am just incredibly impressed with all the hard work that went into this. I didn’t think that it would take off, and it did. Now that it is actually here, I am incredibly proud.”

Fletcher, who graduated from Green River in 2007 and lives in Tacoma, said she wishes she were still a Green River student so she could use the new facility.

“It does make me want to come back and play a bigger role in the Green River community,” she said.

The $32 million facility is funded by the college and a self-imposed fee on students. Students started paying the fee of $20 per quarter in 2007, which increased to $45 quarterly.

“This truly is a building for students, built by students,” said Dani Chang, Green River’s dean of student life.

‘Making an old man feel proud’

Mel Lindbloom, the college’s first president and the student union’s name sake, attended the ribbon cutting.

Lindbloom said he is honored the new building will carry on his name.

“You folks, the Green River College community, have a way of making an old man feel proud,” he said.

He said he was pleased by the students’ willingness to help fund a new student union.

“In 1971 when we opened the student center, we finally had a place for students, student services, student activities, community activities,” he said. “It served a tremendous need at the time.”

The campus has changed a lot since it opened in 1965, Lindbloom said.

“As I stand here and look around the campus, it is really hard for me to believe this all happened,” he said. “We had one building when we opened.”

Lindbloom and Fletcher cut a ribbon to mark the opening of the new facility. Members of the Muckleshoot Canoe Family blessed the new facility.

Following the ceremony, students, staff and guests ventured inside for cake and tours of the building.

Students were eager to explore the student union. They made themselves at home, grabbing a bite to eat from Gator Grill or the Daily Grind Coffee shop. They gathered around tables and chairs, studying or talking to friends. Some played pool in the Evergreen Lounge while others shot hoops or played ping-pong in the new Recreation and Athletic Center gym.

The Paper Tree Bookstore, student government and student life offices, as well as the office of diversity, equity and inclusion, have moved to the student union.

The building features a gender-inclusive restroom, which has eight stalls with full-length, locking doors and six sinks, anyone can use it regardless of gender. There are also men’s and women’s restrooms in the facility.

Second-year student Aiesha Morrison-Screen of SeaTac wandered around the new building on Monday.

“It’s wonderful,” she said.

Paying an additional fee each quarter to fund the facility doesn’t bother Morrison-Screen.

“It is worth it to see my money at work,” she said.

Morrison-Screen said she’ll probably spend a lot of time in the student union.

“I kind of like people watching,” she said.

The former student center, which is now called the Student Affairs and Success Center, will undergo two phases of renovations to become a one-stop shop for student services.

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Open for events

Green River College’s Mel Lindbloom Student Union, which opened on Monday, is available to rent for weddings, corporate events, fundraisers and other functions.

The conference services and food service offices have moved to the new facility from the Lindbloom Student Center, which had been used for events.

The college hosts the fifth annual My Wedding My Way wedding fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 5, in the student union on the college’s main campus, 12401 SE 320th St., Auburn.

The free event is open to the public and includes vendors, food tastings, entertainment and a man cave.

For more information, call 253-333-6010 or visit greenriver.edu/conference.