Jessica Wade
ASSISTANT COPY EDITOR
Every college student might not look forward to the start of a new semester. There’s textbooks to buy, lectures to attend and student loans to stress over. However, this year many UNO students have something to look forward to. The outdoor staircase is gone and the construction noise is over, because the newly-renovated Milo Bail Student Center is open for business.
Construction began on the center May 2015, and, while the food court and the University of Omaha bookstore have both remained open during the construction, for most of that time the lower level of the building has been unavailable to the public. The project was originally expected to take 18 months, but was completed in 15. An impressive completion time considering the lower level was almost completely gutted. The 15-month wait seems to be worth it, especially concerning the new MavCAFE.
Located on the south side of the first floor, the MavCAFE is an open and comfortable area with plenty of tables where students can hang out in between classes, have study groups or meet up with friends. The whole space has a relaxed, happy atmosphere, after all, it’s hard to be unhappy when eating ice cream or drinking coffee.
There are many amazing features, including a coffee shop and Blue Bunny ice cream bar., but the greatest feature of the MavCAFE is actually located in the convenience store attached to it. Walking past the tables of studiers and loungers, the smell of fresh-brewed espresso and shelves of snacks and energy drinks, students come face-to-face with what may be one of the greatest inventions mankind has ever thought up: a milkshake vending machine.
Of course, there are a lot of new and exciting features regarding the renovations. There’s the MavGRILL which will provide a various selection of grilled meats, a mini-kitchen available to students, more power outlets, the addition of a lactation room and the replacement of the 55-year-old heating and cooling systems, but a milkshake vending machine has got to be the most unique.
As the number of students attending UNO continues to grow, it was important to update and expand the student center. Many students commute to Dodge campus, whether from their dorms on Pacific campus or from off-campus housing, and having a place to go in between classes should encourage students to meet more people.
The center’s new-building smell will soon be replaced with the smell of coffee and freshly-grilled meats; the quiet chatter coming from a handful of people will be replaced with the laughter and conversations of dozens of students and faculty members. Very soon the Milo Bail Student Center will once again become a staple of university life, and the milkshake vending machine will, hopefully, be around for years to come.
