The recent construction of the Rebecca Quad, which began early in the fall semester, continued to progress while students were on winter break. According to the Vice President for Finance and Treasurer Steve Bright, the work is intended to be completed by the middle of the spring semester.

When the college closed on Dec. 9 after fall finals, the new layout had been outlined, and they started laying the inner section of the walls. The digging also provided a partial view of the concrete pipes that run under many of the sidewalks around the campus mall.

By Jan. 12, the cinder block walls had been surrounded by an outer layer of brick, and the slope to the new porch was taking shape. “I remember that the old porch and the wooden ramp always had some sort of break in them that made it extremely easy for people to trip and hurt themselves,” said Cherry Warner ‘21.

As of Jan. 15, gravel and outlines have been laid for much of the new sidewalk. The plywood blocking the doors to the breezeway has been replaced by a temporary barrier of wooden boards and plastic, blocking access to an almost finished section of the new porch.

Digital mock-ups of the design were released in the spring of 2022, and over the following months, bids were made by various construction companies and plans were solidified before construction could begin. “I don’t think it should have started at the beginning of the school year,” said senior Heather Knott. “I think it could have waited.”

Many students on campus have to take roundabout ways to buildings due to the construction zone. “I live in Blue Ridge, so it’s a little annoying, but for the cost of having a prettier campus I guess it’ll be worth it,” said sophomore Maureen Keating. “It looks like a nice place to relax.”