Our Space, Our Future:

Developing the CCNY Student Center

Kareem Alchorbaji

Maruf Khan

Moises Hernandez Perez 

Md Nasir Uddin Khan

Western Michigan University – Student Center

Introduction:

From Columbia’s Alfred Lerner Hall to NYU’s Kimmel Center, bustling student centers are the heart of universities, yet CCNY stands as one of the only schools without such a crucial element. Similar to Rivers State University’s student center that is “obsolete” per GSJ (2020), CCNY has an “inadequate” one where no area for socialization and dedicated study exists. This shortcoming undermines what an otherwise strong intellectual atmosphere CCNY possesses. And the points are relevant. Students do not enjoy the “greater interaction” or “active living” per Lawal (2016), which fosters more engagement with campus life. According to Poecker (2014), a student center is a “snapshot of the university,” something that CCNY so desperately needs to foster and grow its existence. There is even an open space where nothing exists yet that would facilitate growth for The Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture. (Fig 1).

Fig 1: Space where the student center will be located

That’s why the Chill Guys are bringing their vision of a student center to this strategic site. Echoing GSJ’s discoveries about how centers “augment learning environments” yet also host “political, recreational, and socio-cultural activities,” our design will combine academic support with community-building — a synthesis evident in leading models nationally. Through the elimination of cold and bureaucratic space and transformation into a thriving social hub, we will finally provide CCNY with an “effective community center,” as requested by GSJ, that every academic institution deserves.

CCNY students have made themselves clear that they want a student center built for productivity, not just play. In a survey of 106 respondents, it revealed a steep change in priorities: 77.4% of students said entertainment was critical, 64.2% demanded dedicated study areas and 48.1% wanted places to see things. Furthermore, 46.2% expressed interest in traditional entertainment features such as events. This data (Fig 2.) suggests that students mostly want a “place to get work done”, a result that dovetails nicely with worldwide study by GSJ (2020) that found a modern centers must be academic hubs first. When three out of every four respondents ask for better infrastructure just so they can finish their course works, CCNY can no longer brush away such inevitable currents.

Fig 2: Popular amenities gathered from student survey

Student Center at NYU:

The New York University has multiple student centers such as the Kimmel Center for University Life, Palladium Athletic Facility, and Global Campus Student Spaces. However the main student center is The Paulson Center at New York University, an essential part of campus life and student engagement. The Center was officially opened in January 2023. Located at the heart of Greenwich Village at 181 Mercer Street, New York, NY 10012, the center provides academic facilities, theatres, study lounges, art displays, performance venues, athletic facilities, dining areas, and residential spaces for first year students. The building consists of 23 floors of which the lower 5 are for student activities while the upper floors are for residential uses. The building also has rooftops full of greenery so students can get a sense of nature. The building has cooling and heating along with ways of reducing the energy usage.  This environment allows students to feel welcome which allows students to socialize and do better academically. Students can connect with one another and make friends instead of just leaving campus when they finish their classes. The student center at NYU allows students to have a sense of belonging and boosts campus life which increases retention rate. 

At NYU, the Paulson Center allows students to have a balance between academics and their personal lives. It allows students to have fun while learning so that they can want to do better in their classes. It allows the communities to thrive as students would feel like they fit in and would get comfortable with their peers. This allows students to make connections with others in their own respected fields so they can help one another out while learning from their seniors. Many students at NYU can be relieved of their challenges they face by being at the student center where they can get academic support and socialize. As human beings we crave social belonging which is why student centers help with isolation or stress. Students are more likely to stay enrolled in an institution that they like which is what a student center helps with. At NYU the retention rate of first year students is a whopping 95% which is higher than most colleges. It just goes to show that student centers can help a person like their college more. The Student Center at NYU is not just a physical space but an essential factor to the student experience at NYU.

Action Plan:

Accessibility is perhaps the most critical aspect of planning an efficient student center. The building must be within walking distance of the campus center so that students can just stop by on their way between classes and other activities. Since City College is in a high-density city environment, building outside of the current campus limits would be expensive and logistically unfeasible. Considering all of these variables  and everything we’ve gleaned from our research, we decided that the new student center would be placed beside The Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture. Although it’s not central to City College’s campus, it’s not more than a 5 minute walk to the buildings where most classes are for every student of City College. 3 floors only, with floor areas getting smaller moving upward, it allows vertical as well as lateral growth without encroaching on the visual campus environment. The new three-story student center at City College will be a modern, student-focused building that encourages academic success, teamwork, and community engagement. The first floor will be an active social and academic space, with study areas, tutoring, computer stations, and a café. The second floor will focus on student amenities, with club rooms, quiet lounges, group project spaces, a meditation room, gender-neutral restrooms, and career advising offices. The third floor will consist of flexible event and recreational spaces, including a large event space, conference rooms, a game space, a performance stage, and sustainable green roof elements. Overall, the new student center aims to offer a supportive and inclusive community that meets the academic and social needs of all students.
First Floor: The first floor (Fig 3)of the student center would be designed as a welcoming and vibrant social hub for students. It would feature an open lobby filled with natural light, creating an inviting atmosphere right as students walk in. The first floor will serve as the academic heart of the student center, directly addressing the survey’s top priorities. It will feature dedicated study zones with both quiet, individual pods and group tables, all equipped with ample charging stations to meet the 81% demand. A walk-in tutoring center will provide essential academic support for subjects like math, writing, and STEM, catering to nearly half of respondents. For student convenience, tech stations will offer printing services and device rentals, while a compact café will provide quick refreshments.

Fig 3: First floor of student center

Second floor: The second floor (Fig 4)of the student center would serve as a versatile event and multipurpose space designed to support a wide range of student activities. A large event hall would be the centerpiece of this floor, adaptable for workshops, movie nights, job fairs, guest speakers, and other campus events. Surrounding the event hall, conference and meeting rooms would be available for smaller gatherings, workshops, or club meetings. Additionally, a game and recreation area would offer activities like pool, ping pong, and gaming consoles to help students unwind between classes. A small performance space or stage would also be included to host open mic nights, student showcases, and other community events. Finally, convenient storage rooms would be available for clubs and event organizers to store supplies and equipment, ensuring the space stays organized and functional for everyone.

Fig 4: Second floor of student center
Third floor: The third floor (Fig 5) of the student center would focus on student resources and collaboration, providing a dedicated space for academic and organizational support. This floor would include club rooms and student organization offices, giving campus groups a place to meet, plan, and work together. Quiet study lounges would offer students a peaceful environment for individual studying. Group project rooms with modern amenities like digital screens and whiteboards will support the 67% of students who prioritized study spaces. Additional amenities such as a print and copy station would be available for student use. To promote inclusivity and well-being, a multifaith or meditation room would provide a private space for reflection or prayer. The floor would also feature a Career Center or Advising satellite office for easy access to academic and professional support. Incorporating sustainability, the building would feature green roof elements to improve energy efficiency and environmental impact. Lastly, gender-neutral bathrooms would ensure that all students feel comfortable and welcome in the space.

Fig 5: Third floor of student center

Cost and Benefits:

Costs: Building this brand new three-floor student center would require a large initial investment. The size of the building is approximately 10,500 sq feet. The estimated construction cost alone would range $15-$17 million dollars, including site preparation, materials, and labor. In addition to construction, furnishing the interior with lounge seating, recreation equipment, cafe setup, and study spaces would cost about $700,000 to $1 million. Technology features like smartboards, Wi-Fi setup, charging stations, and security systems would add another $500,000- $600,000. Sustainability features such as solar panels, green roofing, and a rainwater collection system would require an extra $500,000. On top of all that, yearly maintenance, cleaning, staffing, and security would cost about $700,000 annually to keep the building running smoothly. Everything combined, building and maintaining this student center will cost somewhere between $20-$22 million. 

Benefits: Even though the costs are high, the benefits of this new student center make the investment worthwhile. The building would offer students a modern, comfortable, and inclusive space designed specifically to meet their needs. It would provide a balance between social life, academic resources, and event spaces all in one location. In the long term, the sustainability features would help reduce energy and water costs, saving money over time. This new space would also increase student engagement, club participation, and campus involvement, helping build a stronger community at CCNY. Additionally, it could generate revenue through café sales, event rentals, and game areas. Overall, this new building would improve student satisfaction, support academic success, and enhance CCNY’s reputation as a student-centered campus.

Team 🙂

Md Nasir Uddin Khan is a freshman in City College of New York, planning on majoring in computer science. He was born and raised in Bangladesh. He graduated from Richmond Hill High School, Queens, NY. He followed the software engineering pathway as a high school student. As for his work experiences, he worked with the SYEP summer internship program for two years, during the summer of 2021 he worked as a day care counselor on a child day care. In the summer of 2022, he worked with the NYPD as a community assistant. After the summer of 2022, he started working at Dunkin Donuts, he worked there for about 2 years, during that time he held the position as Acting Manager. And currently he’s working at Allied Universal as a Security Professional. Throughout his education and work experience he mastered valuable skills such as responsibility, time management, team work, and technological skills like web design, basic programming, etc.

Maruf Khan is currently a university student at City College of New York. He is in his second semester as a freshman, taking a course called Writing for Engineering, a required class for students pursuing a career in engineering. Although he is undecided on his specific major, Maruf plans to enter a field related to engineering. He was born and raised in Queens, New York, and attended the High School for Construction, Trades, Engineering, and Architecture, which was conveniently close to his home. In his first year of high school, Maruf was in the Construction major but switched to Engineering during the early months of his sophomore year. He also participated in the AT&T Summer Learning Academy, an externship where he gained knowledge in personal development, business, and technology. Additionally, Maruf completed an internship at a community center, where he helped organize information using spreadsheets. Throughout his experiences, he has developed valuable skills in communication, problem-solving, and leadership. Maruf has a strong interest in pursuing a career in the field of engineering.

Kareem Alchorbaji (he/him) is an 18-year-old freshman at City College of New York, pursuing a degree in Computer Science with aspirations to join the Grove School of Engineering. While he humorously acknowledges that language may not be his strongest suit, he has a passion for math and problem-solving. During his junior and senior years of high school, Kareem discovered his interest in Computer Science, gaining experience in programming languages such as Python, Java, SQL, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Currently, he is taking online courses to further enhance his coding skills and dedicates time to practicing programming regularly, driven by his goal of becoming a skilled engineer.

Moises Hernandez Perez (he, him, his) is a freshman pursuing a mechanical engineering degree, with aspirations of becoming an inventor. Born in the United States and of Mexican origin, he has a passion for creativity and hands-on projects. Some of his hobbies include riding his bike, cooking and baking, working out (a habit he started last year and has maintained consistently for two months), playing video games, and carpentry. Currently, he is working on building a new closet for his room to save space. He enjoys watching shows, including anime, documentaries, and TV series, and is looking forward to the release of The Invincibles Season 3. Among his favorite books are The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin and The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood. He also loves trying different foods and discovering new places to eat. When it comes to writing, Moises often struggles with writer’s block and structuring his ideas. He has taken two creative writing courses in high school, which significantly improved his writing, though not his grammar. In the past, he tended to create imaginative narratives that weren’t rooted in reality. From this experience, he learned that stories resonate most when they are honest, as readers can often sense when details feel fabricated or exaggerated.
Conclusion : 

This proposed student center is not just a building, it’s an informed investment in the future of CCNY as a world-class educational leader. Other new student centers elsewhere have already improved retention, graduation, and institutional prestige, allowing CCNY to compete favorably alongside peers like NYU and Columbia. Upfront investment is eclipsed by benefits in the years to come: expanded enrollments, event revenues, and a game-changing student life experience.

Imagine a campus where each and every one of our students gets to experience state-of-the-art learning spaces, where collaboration is enabled, and where excellence at CCNY attracts the best and brightest for generations to come. It’s possible. Through your support, we’ll not only build a building, we’ll build an icon, one that establishes CCNY as the flagship of CUNY and beyond. We’ll leave a lasting legacy together.

References:

[email protected]. (2014, April 19). 19 | April | 2014 | Andrew Poecker’s J333 Blog. Uoregon.edu. https://blogs.uoregon.edu/andrewjournalism/2014/04/19/ 

Communications, N. W. (n.d.). StudentLink Center. Www.nyu.edu. https://www.nyu.edu/students/student-information-and-resources/student-centers-and-spaces/studentlink-center.html 

SmartDraw is the Best Way to Make a Diagram. (n.d.). Www.smartdraw.com. https://app.smartdraw.com/index.aspx?startLocation=0&flags=128 

Student Center Proposal. (2025). Student Center Proposal. Google Docs. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1_7EpNwgfQSG7m7Q13buo74UZkE3tzY0iLwIjsrWn_t4/edit#responses 

STUDENT CENTRE AND THE CONCEPT OF LEARNING COMMONS. (n.d.). Retrieved April 8, 2025, from https://globalscientificjournal.com/researchpaper/Students_centre_and_the_concept_of_learning_commons.pdf 

New York University. (n.d.). About the Paulson Center. https://www.nyu.edu/life/campus-resources/paulson-center/about-the-paulson-center.html

Appendix:

Fig 6: Results of the best availability to visit the student center

Fig 7: Timeline of the construction