Purposeful Living

Calling all students who prioritize sustainable, purposeful, and socially conscious learning. The new Impact & Prosperity Epicenter—catering to pupils dedicated to those causes—will open this fall. The building will house 778 students and feature six residential floors, a range of fully furnished housing options, study and lounge spaces, and a full-service café. At its core lies the Forum, a dynamic hub where scholars and changemakers from across campus can converge, collaborate, and engage in events and workshops.

“This generation of students isn’t interested in spending four years copying notes from a whiteboard. They’re looking for real-world, hands-on experiences and engaged learning,” says Geoff Davis, co-executive director at the Epicenter and CEO of the Sorenson Impact Institute. 

The Epicenter’s changemaking ethos influenced the building’s design. “This is a space for every student looking to create a difference in the world,” adds Stephen Alder, co-executive director at the Epicenter and executive director of the Center for Business, Health and Prosperity. 

The U is also collaborating with a private firm to build additional new, modern student residences that will blend seamlessly with existing buildings managed by Housing and Residential Education (HRE). The housing will offer themed residential communities, much like the hub at Lassonde Studios with its entrepreneurial resources available to all students. They will also introduce more living-learning communities for students to connect over common interests, like the existing programs for STEM, the Honors College, health and wellness, and more. 

These projects are all part of the university’s broader strategy to bring 5,000-plus new beds to campus. And incoming first-year students for the 2024-25 academic year who apply for housing by the given deadlines will be guaranteed on-campus accommodations. 

“It’s not every day we get to make big changes to our campus, but here we are, ready to bring that college town feel that’ll make a difference for years to come,” says Sean Grube, executive director of HRE at the U. “We’re all about keeping up the great experience HRE is known for and taking it to the next level.”

Other recent completed housing projects include: 

• 430 beds in the fourth wing of Kahlert Village
• 504 beds in the University West Village
• 124 apartments finished, with 497 more on the way by fall 2025, in the Ivory University House, which is privately owned and operated by the Ivory Foundation