Across campus, renovations and updates are being made to a variety of spaces to elevate the student experience on Rocky Top. There’s never been a better time to be a Volunteer, demonstrated in the ways in which the Division of Student Life is investing in the campus environment.
Located in the heart of student residence life, the Presidential Court Building will be repurposed into a new gathering space for all Vols, including meeting rooms and retail locations for students to utilize. The highlight of the renovations will include a full storefront for the Center for Basic Needs, providing students with access to necessities conveniently located near several residence halls and supporting their overall academic success. The renovation will also create space for the Office for Sorority and Fraternity Life to be located closer to Sorority Village and Fraternity Park as well as office space for Off-Campus Student Living, a team dedicated to supporting students who do not live on campus.
At the Frieson Black Cultural Center Building, another space for all students and student organizations to gather, updates will be made to create more multipurpose rooms. The improvements add 6,000 square feet of space and additional restrooms to support increased usage.
Gone are the days where doing your laundry is a dreaded task. Fred Brown Jr. Residence Hall residents were welcomed back for the spring semester with a transformed Laundry Lounge, powered by LG. The space combines state-of-the-art equipment with an LG gaming wall, allowing students to play video games on an installed Xbox system while they wait for their laundry. The new space also includes several comfy seating options for studying or relaxing with friends. For students who don’t have time to wait on their laundry, they can now track how much time remains on their washer or dryer via a smartphone app connected to the machines.
At the Student Union, two new spaces are under development. The east side of the Union facing Philip Fulmer Way will soon feature a terraced lawn with seating, a space for food trucks, a fire table, and a stage for future campus events. The north side of the Union facing Cumberland Avenue will also soon have an installation of V-O-L-S letters to create a welcoming and photographic space to celebrate the Volunteer spirit.
At the RecSports fields complex on Sutherland Avenue, new drainage systems have been installed for the fields utilized by several club sports teams to improve availability. Renovations include a 1,000 square foot service building with bathrooms at the east end of the complex.
These projects, each set to break ground in 2026, will usher in the next phase of the Volunteer experience on campus, create welcoming spaces for all students, and support the vibrant, positive atmosphere the campus community loves.