After an extensive renovation, the Alumni Center is now reopened and ready to welcome back alumni and all members of our Southeastern community.
The Alumni Center has been a respected landmark on Southeastern’s campus since it was erected in 1994. Proudly overlooking the main campus from West University Avenue, the 12,700-square-foot building serves as a hub for returning alumni, touring visitors, and the Hammond community. From phone-a-thons to networking events, reunions and more, the Alumni Center has experienced its fair share of campus happenings, and while it has always been home to the department’s staff, it has also served as an office space for various staff members from the University Advancement division of Southeastern. If walls could talk, the Alumni Center’s would have a rich history to tell!
Over the years, the activity and staff focuses within the building have adapted to remain relevant with Southeastern’s constituents and their needs. On February 7, 2022, after weeks of archiving and cleaning, the staff vacated the Alumni Center in preparation for the latest shift, a complete renovation and modernization of the space. Thanks to partial funding from the Southeastern Foundation, in six short months the Alumni Center was refreshed into a reimagined environment that has provided Southeastern and the Alumni staff the opportunity to better welcome alumni and guests onto our campus.
A fresh, distinguished façade imagined by the architects at Holly and Smith proudly displays Southeastern’s new shield logo. Upon entering the building, guests are now greeted by an open, inviting space. Vibrant greens paint the wall with pride. To the left of the lobby area lies the Alumni Association staff offices, and to the right and on the newly furbished second floor you’ll find members of the University Marketing and Communications team. The well-known banquet hall has been updated to better suit the wide variety of events and occasions it has traditionally been used for, and that space will soon be married with a unique outdoor kitchen crafted by Angelo’s Landscape Group. Together, the hall and new outdoor area will allow the Alumni Association to host more events and opportunities for our alumni, growing chapters, and the Hammond community.
Physical and metaphorical walls have been removed through this renovation, and we are excited for the future of the Association and the University. We invite you back to experience the improvements and hear about what’s on the horizon for Southeastern from the Alumni Association and University Advancement team. Visit us today at 500 West University Avenue!
