Hello!
I am a grad student at Northwestern’s Masters in Product Design and Development and I have a project where my team and I have to come up with a design for a new student center based on some of the primary research conducted by talking to students about their likes and pain points for their current student center. So, I am hoping some of you might have some feedback on the following question’s about your university’s student center or student union.
- What purpose do you think a student center should serve in a university?
- How often did/do you go to the UIC student center?
- Why do you usually go?
- What do you like about it there?
- What do you dislike about it?
- How might you redesign or change it?
Thanks!
I go to Purdue if you’re interested in where people go to school.
What purpose do you think a student center should serve in a university?
I think it should be a place to relax between classes, have group meetings, and get food if you’re unable to go home for lunch or dinner.
- How often did/do you go to the UIC student center?
As a freshman, I would go almost every class day as it was pretty centralized to my classes. Now I'm there 2-3 times a week.
- Why do you usually go?
I go for starbucks on Tuesdays, lunch on Wednesdays and then usually to do homework in a relaxed setting in Fridays.
- What do you like about it there?
Our first floor has a fireplace area which makes for a chill place to read or do homework. Also the food options are pretty good.
- What do you dislike about it?
All of the food options and the majority of the sitting area is in the basement which makes it crowded and the layout is kind of confusing.
- How might you redesign or change it?
Maybe spread out where the dining operations are and add more casual couches, comfy chairs in places besides near the doors on our first floor.
Good luck with your research!