UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — As the spring 2025 semester has drawn to a close, the renovations happening on the third floor of the HUB-Robeson Center are in full swing, with tangible developments emerging across the construction site.
Initially announced in fall 2024, the project has been built upon the reflections and direction of Penn State's student communities. Throughout the imagining process, Perkins & Will, the lead design firm for the approximate 26,000-square-foot renovation, engaged with Penn State students to redesign the third floor. The project addresses the needs of the University's student caucuses, affinity- and identity-based communities, and student government organizations, while also incorporating various-sized community gathering spaces, conference rooms, and office and storage space for student organizations' materials.
“This project is truly extraordinary in that it will provide a new and refreshed space that allows students to navigate between, amongst and across communities,” said Brian Patchcoski, associate vice president for student access, community and success. “The space has been designed to foster various areas of community and connection that I truly believe will benefit the student experience and ultimately enhance student belonging and success.”
As the third-floor renovation project progresses and remains on track for completion in fall 2025, the final stretch of build outs will occur over the summer months. The HUB-Robeson Center’s team looks forward to showcasing the physical space once it is completed, according to Mary Edgington, senior director of the HUB-Robeson Center, Student Affairs facilities and staff development.
“I’m thrilled with this new space for our students to engage, learn and collaborate with their studies and within their organizations. It will be a welcoming and comfortable place for students to meet, thrive and develop as they engage in their lifelong learning and leadership skills here at Penn State,” Edgington said. “I am forever thankful for the University Park Student Fee Board for funding and supporting this much needed renovation for our students.”
The renovated third-floor will feature student caucus and student organization offices, inclusive of the Middle Eastern and North African Caucus, LION Pride Caucus, Black Caucus, Latino Caucus, APIDA Caucus, the Indigenous Peoples’ Student Association, and Queer and Trans People of Color.
In addition to housing a wide range of student organizations, the renovated third floor also will be home to student government offices, dedicated storage areas for organizational materials, and a meditation room designed to support student well-being. These new features aim to foster connection, collaboration and community, while offering students supportive, purposefully designed spaces that enhance both personal growth and collective engagement.