The Alma College Greg Hatcher Learning Commons was one of the most significant construction projects to take place on Alma’s campus in decades, and has become the new Heart of Campus. Located on the site of the college’s library, the newly upgraded and expanded facility serves as a hub of student activity — a place for students to gather and collaborate, centered on community. The Learning Commons features a café, an open performance area, classrooms and study rooms, digital media center and book collections, as well as other offices and amenities.
The exterior design blends the college’s traditional red-brick Prairie School architectural style with glass, to help the community see what’s happening, inside and out. The interior design is built around vibrancy and collaboration, featuring both well-lit, open spaces and smaller conference and study rooms with a variety of furniture arrangements.
The Hatcher Learning Commons was the signature element of the “Our Time is Now” fundraising campaign that concluded in 2021 and inspired more than $125 million in gifts for Alma College. The largest campaign in the history of Alma College, this was the largest capital project within the campaign.