ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY The Clayton University Center at Packer Hall UNITING OUR LEHIGH COMMUNITY
Action isn’t born in isolation. It is fueled by friction — by the intersection of opposing perspectives and the convergence of diverse ideas. At Lehigh, we cultivate these moments knowing that the challenges that lie ahead will be met with the ideas and innovations created within them. Lehigh people thrive on hard work, community, and collaboration. Our community has embraced GO: The Campaign for Lehigh, a historic, comprehensive effort to prepare tomorrow’s students for leadership and impact. Now is our chance to go all in for Lehigh and drive our university forward. Change begins with action. Let’s GO. gocampaign.lehigh.edu Cover photo: The Clayton University Center is the heart of campus.
ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY FROM FRIENDSHIP TO LEADERSHIP It’s a Friday night in September, and the Clayton University Center at Packer Hall is ablaze with light. Students and visitors lounge in the comfortable Great Room where a DJ is kicking off the first set of the night. Good-natured competitors gather around a board game, sharing snacks from the marketplace-style food hall. In the lively Pub, several students and professors debate the documentary film they just saw with a visiting lecturer and alumni guests. Meanwhile, down the hall, another group commandeers one of the modular workspaces for an impromptu club meeting. Outside, people are gathering around the fire pit and on the lawn to reflect and relax. As the hour grows later, undergraduate and graduate students continue to arrive from all corners of campus, attracted by the bustle of activity and opportunity — and the promise of food and friends waiting inside. This is our vision: a continually active, vibrant Clayton University Center that will bring our whole community together. A building restored not only to its original grandeur, but reinvented to foster understanding and collaboration among students and equip them to navigate and lead in today’s diverse society. This new Clayton University Center will help transform the student experience and the culture of our campus. You can help bring this vision to life. 3
A BEAUTIFUL CENTERPIECE, THEN AND NOW A welcoming junction for graduate and undergraduate students alike, the Clayton University Center at Packer Hall will be modern, efficient, and a true community gathering place: one that brings everyone at Lehigh together in new and meaningful ways. 4
The Clayton University Center at Packer Hall is Lehigh’s most iconic building. As the centerpiece of the Asa Packer Campus, the stunning stone structure is a sight that inspires prospective students and their families and transports alumni back to their Lehigh days. It is a common touchstone for every student and every graduate. We have all passed through its halls, climbed its stairs, and heard the carillon ring from its tower. Packer Hall, which opened its doors in 1868, was the first building expressly commissioned for the Lehigh community, initially offering a chemical laboratory, classrooms, library, and chapel. Through the years, its spaces and residents have changed, yet it has continually served the needs of students, faculty, and alumni. Today, as the only building on campus where every member of our community spends time — eating, relaxing, studying, meeting, or just passing through — the Clayton University Center stands at a crossroads. Last renovated in 1958, the interior of the Clayton University Center needs to be updated if it is to meet the needs and exceed the expectations of today’s students. PRESERVING OUR LEHIGH LEGACY Lehigh is not new to transformative projects in its most hallowed spaces. From 2005 to 2007, the historic Linderman Library underwent an interior restoration made possible by alumni and friends. The project expanded space for books and materials, modernized the infrastructure, restored the Reading Room to its original glory, and incorporated a cafe to draw students. The final result has been called one of the most beautiful libraries in the world, but it is more than just an aesthetic triumph. The restoration transformed Linderman from a practical student resource into a true intellectual center, all the while respecting and retaining the integrity of its history. 5
Students gather, work, and connect in the new Living Room. CULTIVATING A COMMUNITY The Clayton University Center at Packer Hall is more than just a building. It is the heart of the Lehigh campus. This renovation will help create a richer and more vibrant Lehigh community in a number of ways. It will provide: A State-of-the-Art Experience The renovated Clayton University Center will provide newer, more modern, and more efficient facilities for today’s students. Enhancements include fresh dining spaces, additional recreational and work spaces, and amenities such as a convenience store and Lehigh’s only on-campus pub. A Platform for Leadership Aspiring leaders need places where they can gain an understanding of their own identities and values. They need to live, work, and have fun with others different from themselves to become empathetic and capable of effectively engaging diverse groups of people at all levels. 6
The new Clayton University Center will be an environment that is as rich and diversified as the world Lehigh students are going to lead. A Greater Sense of Belonging To feel at home in a space, you need to know that it’s yours. The renovated Clayton University Center is designed to be for students, by students. Open late and on weekends, the building will offer almost freerange access. Students will be able to relax, talk, celebrate, laugh, and cry in a space they can call their own. A Welcoming Community Students naturally develop valuable circles of friends, often related to their field of study, their sports teams, their residential groups, or their Greek affiliations. Within the comeone-come-all spaces of the new Clayton University Center, all students, regardless of where they live or what they are involved in, will feel equally welcome. This atmosphere will foster understanding and collaboration among students and equip them with the interpersonal skills they need to navigate and lead in today’s diverse society. Stronger Traditions When you bring people together, you can unite them around shared experiences and common aspirations, strengthening culture and traditions. The new spaces in the Clayton University Center will offer a place where students can gather for celebrations, concerts, dances, meetings, and more. “Every student, faculty member, and staff member for the next one hundred years and beyond will be impacted.” Kevin L. Clayton ’84 ’13P FUELING LEARNING AND LEADERSHIP With a transformational gift of $20 million to support the University Center renovation, Kevin L. Clayton ’84 ’13P and his wife, Lisa A. Clayton ’13P, launched the public phase of GO: The Campaign for Lehigh in October 2018. In recognition of their generosity, the building became known as the Clayton University Center at Packer Hall. Said Kevin Clayton, “The renovated building will create an environment that fosters new connections, strengthens traditions, and fuels learning and leadership. Every student, faculty member, and staff member for the next one hundred years and beyond will be impacted. That’s meaningful and in Lehigh’s best interests.” The Claytons’ gift is an investment in Lehigh’s future, at a time when the university is pursuing ambitious plans for growth and distinction. They also hope their generosity will inspire others to support the renovation and other initiatives of GO: The Campaign for Lehigh. “I was always taught that you have to lead by example,” said Clayton. “Now is the time to give back, and there are plenty of opportunities to come and join us.” 7
Lehigh’s 200-plus student clubs and organizations have dedicated space to meet, plan activities, and create community in the new Club Hub. A VIBRANT CROSSROADS OF ACTIVITY 8
The Clayton University Center at Packer Hall will offer open, easily re-configurable space for use by student clubs as well as designated space for student life programs. Here, students, faculty, and staff from different organizations — under one roof for the first time — will work alongside one another, benefiting from each other’s expertise and perspectives. These activities and programs will draw a broad mix of students to the space, adding to the vitality and diversity of the Clayton University Center experience. 200+ student clubs 93% of all students participate in extracurricular activities Student life programs within the renovated and expanded Clayton University Center include: • Center for Gender Equity • Community Service Office • Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity • Office of the First-Year Experience • Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs • Office of Multicultural Affairs • Office of Student Engagement • Pride Center 9
SIGNATURE SPACES The renovated and reimagined Clayton University Center at Packer Hall includes a number of signature spaces that will transform the Lehigh student experience. Whether they’re planning a club event, meeting up for dinner, or relaxing after a long day, students will come to the Clayton University Center to make connections, friends — and memories. 10
The new first-level Lower Eatery fosters community and provides more options and open access to food and other amenities. First Level Lower Eatery This first-floor Lower Eatery will be a flexible, open space where all students, with or without a meal plan, can gather to share a meal, study, pick up essentials from the adjacent convenience store, or grab a coffee between classes. Unlike a traditional dining hall, the Lower Eatery will remain open and accessible throughout the day as an activity hub. A mix of different seating and table options allows it to function as a true “third space” — not a classroom and not a residence hall — where student life can thrive. 11
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Gallery With windows facing onto the Clayton University Center front lawn, this newly renovated gallery and multi-functional space will offer beautiful views of campus. The restoration will create a portico suitable for student use during the day, as well as elegant and inviting event space for special occasions. The Gallery features floor-to-ceiling windows with tall, stately doors that offer easy entrance to the Living Room. Living Room The vibrant Living Room (see pg. 6) will offer a central location where students can gather to study and socialize, anchored at the east end by one of the building’s original fireplaces. Two smaller areas along the north end with seating, wall-mounted screens, and integrated technology will offer an ideal place for collaboration and group work, as will the five small meeting rooms along the south wall. Tall, open entryways allow natural light from the adjacent Gallery to brighten this multi-use space. 13
Second Level 14
South Entry Terrace and Porch This beautiful outdoor space will be a destination for students and student groups to dine, socialize, and study. Located in close proximity to both the Upper Eatery and Club Hub, the South Terrace and Porch provides an upgraded south entrance, connecting the upper and lower campuses. 15
Club Hub Lehigh has more than 200 student clubs and organizations on campus. The Club Hub (see pg. 8) will provide dedicated space for them to gather, plan and host events, and deepen student engagement. A single location where all clubs can reserve flexible space increases club access and visibility, unifies student activity across campus, and situates them within the same building as student life support staff. The Crossing This open, multi-use space will be a comfortable place for students to gather for meals and small group study or to rest and regroup between classes. Natural light coming in through the windows and doors of the adjacent North Balcony will brighten this flexible space. Upper Eatery This open, airy retail food marketplace will offer fast and fresh à la carte dining options. Students can grab a quick bite between classes, pick up treats for a nearby club meeting, or dine in the adjacent seating areas. The Crossing, full of natural light, provides a space for students to study, meet, and regroup. Beautiful and flexible, the Boardroom accommodates any number of on-campus needs. 16
Third Level Boardroom The Boardroom is ideal for executive meetings, conferences, and large business gatherings. Natural light from the adjacent North Terrace will enhance and brighten the room when desired, and light-control roller-shades will block the natural light when it’s not needed, making the room conducive to presentations. 17
Great Room This renovation will reclaim the original Victorian-style design and reopen the large, Gothic windows to lighten and brighten this uniquely Lehigh room. Modern materials and colors will be incorporated while still honoring the room’s history and character, including its signature trusses. Students will 18
The past and the present combine in the Great Room. be able to relax and have fun in this designated lounging space, with two pool tables, a wallmounted flatscreen, and a temporary stage for entertainment. 19
Pub A truly one-of-a-kind space on campus, this retail dining experience will offer a full menu to students and guests from breakfast through dinner. Inspired by European bistros as well as more traditional taverns, students and our entire community can gather to enjoy a drink or meal. 20
The Pub will be a place where the entire Lehigh community is welcome. 21
Students can relax and socialize around the outdoor fire pit, part of a newly built-out addition to the front patio. 22
LET’S GO! From Lehigh’s earliest days, when it was known as Packer Hall, the University Center shaped the student experience, offering dining halls, classrooms, offices, galleries, and even a chapel. Since then, the student body has continued to grow, and the needs of students have changed. While the building has been updated through the years, in its current form, it is no longer able to provide the Lehigh community with the spaces and facilities necessary to promote outstanding student life, learning, and leadership. With this renovation, the Clayton University Center at Packer Hall will enhance and reshape the student learning and living experience. Please join us in supporting the creation of the new Clayton University Center and help Lehigh fulfill its commitment to strengthening our campus community and culture. For more information, please visit GOcampaign.lehigh.edu or contact Lehigh’s Office of Development and Alumni Relations at (866) 758-2586 or GOcampaign@lehigh.edu. 23
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