Leah Gorence ’28
Staff Writer
In the Student Union above Mallot, there’s hardly any of the space’s white walls visible. Massive posters of artists like Chappell Roan and Kali Uchis adorn the walls, joined by posters for movies like The Rocky Horror Picture Show and student-made paintings or collages, such as a drawing a student made of one of the turtles from Seal Court.
All the new decor is part of an effort from Scripps Associated Students (SAS), to revamp the Student Union. SAS has been working tirelessly to make it a warmer, more inviting place. Kimai McPhee, the Student Organizations Co-Commisioner, shared SAS’s goals for the Student Union revamp, what they hope the space will mean to students, and how they have chosen to make the space.
“One of the things that we talked about a lot regarding the Student Union is wanting it to make it feel like a community space”, McPhee said, and you can feel that as you walk into the space. There are many squashy chairs and the room has a soft, warm light from the various lamps and twinkle lights. The emphasis on beauty and comfort in the space was very deliberate by McPhee and Sky Caldwell, the SAS Community Building Co-Chair, who helped spearhead the project. The revamp is also coming at a time when Scripps students feel very acutely the value of community spaces.
McPhee highlights the importance of the Student Union as a place that is “completely SAS owned. Faculty can’t come up here unless they’re invited, and that’s really special…It’s a completely student-curated space”. It also has 24-hour swipe card access, so it’s always available to students even when other buildings close for the night.
She said that the goal of the revamp is to “make it feel more like a community space and make it feel like a place where people feel like they can be at home and just really enjoy. We also wanted to make sure that it exudes ‘Scripps’ as well.”
The value of having another community space on campus is that it gives students a third space, outside of where they live and work, to exist. The space encourages students to study, to gather, and to relax. McPhee emphasizes the new or improved amenities in the Student Union that some students may not know about, such as a ping pong table, computers, and a locker available for clubs to use as storage. The Student Union is also home to a free closet and the Nobody Fails at Scripps pantry. Nobody Fails at Scripps is a mutual aid group on campus, and students can leave food or supplies for students who may need them. McPhee says SAS is also looking into getting board games and potentially a CD player.
The most striking thing about the revamped Student Union is the expanse of student art. SAS invited all Scripps students to Student Union makeover nights and encouraged student artists to add to the space. McPhee says, “One thing we want to emphasize are these beautiful student murals”. More than just decoration, the student art in the Student Union is also a celebration of Scripps students. As McPhee says, “I think so many Scrippsies are such talented artists and have a lot of creativity regardless of whether it is drawings or paintings or collages”.
The SAS leaders behind the revamp of the Student Union want to extend that to paying homage to past students with the creation of a collage featuring photos of past Scripps students from the Denison Library archives. The collage, which is in the process of being made by Annika Lindberg, would be a celebration of the women who have come before us, to honor Scripps’ history as a historically women’s college. McPhee says that SAS wanted to “really emphasize that it’s the students that make this place special and to not only represent us as we are now but also the history of Scripps”.
The revival of the Student Union has coincided with the loss of a beloved and vital community space on campus: the Motley Coffeehouse. Many students have felt a loss of connection and community following the sudden and forced closing of the Motley. McPhee, a former barista at the Motley, says “We never could have anticipated the Motley closing”. Although the Student Union could never replace the Motley, it is still incredibly positive to have places where Scripps students can still go. “Even though it’s not the same and doesn’t function the same way, it still gives that feeling of connection and community. And hopefully, in the future, it will be able to work in conjunction with the Motley”.
The revamp has been largely considered a success by SAS and other Scripps students. When asked if there has been an uptick in student use of the space, McPhee said, “Definitely”.
Reflecting on the use of the space since the revamp, one moment sticks out. McPhee said, “Some prospective 1st year students came and visited, and they came up [to the Student Union] and they’re like, ‘this is the coolest place on campus.’”
Photo Courtesy: Frances Walton ’26
