Heterick Memorial Library Reveals Renovated Center for Student Success on Second Floor

After several months of closure, Heterick Memorial Library’s second floor has opened the doors to the new Center for Student Success. The renovated space serves as a hub for all general services students may require during their tenure at the university, such as the Writing Center, Polar Careers, Global Initiatives, Accessibility Services (formerly Disability Services), the AmeriCorps Student Resource Coordinator, fellowships and scholarship resources, testing and tutoring. 

Upon entering the second floor, students will see how what was once a resting place for scarcely used media has transformed into a modern workspace for students. The variety of tables and booths provide additional space for group work and individual studying. Whiteboards, one of the most coveted study resources on campus, were incorporated into the design as well.

Second-year pharmacy students Rachel Ingle and Blaine Brownfield were among the first students to use the renovated space this semester. The transformation made a strong first impression on the frequent library-goers.

“I got up here and I didn’t even recognize the place, honestly,” said Ingle. “I feel like it’s so much more spacious and welcoming for students to come up here and study, and I’ll definitely be using the second floor a lot more.” 

Brownfield agreed, commenting, “It makes you feel ready to get back to school, back on the studying grind.” 

Students are welcome to explore the new resources available in the Center for Student Success at an Open House event on Wednesday, January 29th from 2-5pm. Opportunities will be made for students to share their thoughts on the renovations and discover ways it can be made beneficial for their education.

The relocation and consolidation of student success programs into one, generalized space was called for in the university’s Stronger Together Strategic Plan. The library was identified as a central location that is accessible to students and would be the ideal location for the Student Success offices, which were previously divided between the library and McIntosh Center.

“Our goal is to create a place where students want to go –  to learn, to meet, to discuss, to give and receive assistance,” wrote Associate Provost Lynda Nyce. “We feel that a central hub and greater interaction with academic support staff will benefit students with a great atmosphere within which to both study and receive support.”

“Oscar and Judy Mifsud are the lead donors for the transformation of the second floor. Their generosity, combined with the generosity of several other donors, will make the second floor of Heterick into a hub for student activity for decades to come.”

Polar Careers is one of the many services that have recently moved to their new offices in the library. Director of Career Services Andrea Domachowski is looking forward to the variety of resources that will be made available in the new space, including interview training, resume reviews, and greater accessibility to the Career Closet, which provides free professional clothing to students.

“Students will have access to every Student Success office in one convenient location, which will increase traffic and raise awareness of all services,” Domachowski wrote. “Polar Careers staff are excited to see students in our new space this January.”

Ohio Northern’s campus has endured a variety of renovations in its 150 years, and Heterick Memorial Library is one of the many buildings on campus that has undergone change on behalf of the modern needs of students.

As documented in “A Pictorial History of Ohio Northern University” by Paul Logsdon, the library’s current location used to host 28 mobile units for student dormitories during a post-WWII housing crisis. With an abundance of men returning from the war seeking an education, the residence halls of Founders and Lima Complex could not meet the housing demands. As a result, open spaces on campus, including the current location of Heterick Memorial Library, served as trailer “colonies” for the men and remained on campus until the late 1950’s.

Heterick Memorial Library was built a decade after the trailers were removed, making the space more valuable for students who were in need of a larger academic space for the growing university. The library was formally dedicated in 1968 in honor of Robert and Frances Felker Heterick for their donations and support towards creating the library.

As campus culture evolves, so must student spaces. Once again, Heterick’s second floor has endured renovations to address the growing demand for a student success hub and is now open to the campus community.