ASB Center Gets New Addition

Continued from page 5.... location on campus and easily accessible, available space. The space offers three relaxation loungers equipped with a massage feature and weighted blankets. The dark gray walls and opaque window treatment offer a serene, quiet escape complete with aromatherapy and calming music/white noise. The room also offers a unique chair for patrons who don’t wish to lie down.

Dr. Kathleen Montemagni, Executive Director of the Center for Learning, shared how Mater Dei’s recharge room became a reality. “Knowing that our students returning to campus would also be dealing with a level of anxiety and trauma higher than ever before, they needed and deserved a place to regroup, decompress, and recharge. In addition, a rising number of students experiencing concussions and other medical conditions also needed a quiet space to be away from screens, lights, and noise,” she said.

Students, faculty, and staff are welcome to use the space by checking in with the library staff and checking in their phones or other devices which are not permitted in the recharge room. “We are still waiting on a living wall and monitoring system, but the feedback on the room so far has been great, and the students really appreciate the space. Our counselors and CHOC Psychology team are working to add other rooms on campus. It would be great to have something similar in our faculty lounge,” said Montemagni.

Many thanks to the generous benefactors who supported the creation of this special space on campus!

ASB CENTER GETS NEW ADDITION

In the early 1990s, Mater Dei embarked on a comprehensive capital campaign to revitalize our campus to commemorate the school’s 50th anniversary in 2000. The LeVecke Center, ASB Center, and the Lee Family Chapel and Campus Ministry Center were once a dream. Over 20 years later, we look back with gratitude for the permanent home these buildings have provided to vital studentcentered programs and services especially our ASB (Associated Student Body) leadership program.

In the fall, construction on a much-needed addition to the ASB Center was finally complete. The existing footprint was expanded six feet on the east and north sides. A formal welcome space complete with digital bulletin boards greets visitors when they walk in. Our activities team was very excited for the increase in storage – a vital component to supporting over 400 student leaders who plan, organize, and facilitate over 150 activities and events for the entire school throughout the year. And perhaps the most important aspect of the new space is the school’s first-ever leadership classroom (where we offer four UC-approved elective courses in leadership) and student workspace. What a blessing this addition has been to ASB!

“This is exactly what we needed. We are so grateful to all the generous benefactors who believed in this project. Our students absolutely love having a permanent classroom on campus. As we continue to resume normalcy, we deeply value having a space to plan and collaborate as a team,” said Diana Neustadt, Executive Director of Student Activities.