The multi-purpose building that stands across from Cedar Hall, known as the Center for Student Development, provides a wide range of services for students. These services include wellness visits, counseling sessions, housing services and much more. Formerly known as Student Services, the building was introduced in 1994, when the Hawk’s Eye newspaper stated that a new Student Services building was underway.

1994 RWU President Anthony Santoro suggested there should be a building on campus that would accommodate all university services, which is what began the planning of the Student Life building across from Cedar Hall. The offices that would be included were: the Dean of Students, Career Services, Minority Affairs, the Co-op Program, Student Life, Health Services and the Counseling Center. The building had aimed to be completed by January 1995.

At the time, Dean of Students Karen Haskell shared that President Santoro proposed the building for two different reasons. They wished to provide an easier and welcoming area for students to be able to access many different services as well as allow staff to have more accessibility and space for referrals in terms of counseling. Prior to the new building, these services were located all around campus, making it more difficult for students to access. In the 1994 news article written by staff writer Colleen Meagher, she shared some interviews with past staff who expressed both their concerns and positive outlooks on the new building and how they felt about moving.

Now that the building has been there for almost 25 years, it was interesting to hear what current students think of the Student Services building.

“I think the building was placed in a beneficial spot for students to have access to. It’s nice that it’s also placed near most of the freshman and sophomore dorms as they are the ones experiencing the most change in their lives, so having the counseling center and the health services easily accessible for them is great,” said Ally Graf, RWU junior.