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51���� students returning to campus this fall should find lots to cheer about inside the newly renovated Rondileau Campus Center.

“All of the changes we are making are in line with strategic priorities of the school, each can be tied back to student success,” said Thomas O’Connor, director of capital planning for operations.

As a building gets older, sometimes a facelift is necessary to not only maintain the structure but to also make it more energy efficient and to better utilize the space, O’Connor said.

Changes to the building will be done in phases and include converting the former Bridgewater Dining Room into a new suite for the career services internship program, as well as offices for student government.

Senior and elementary education major Brianna Audette of Somerset said the changes are “awesome.”

“It’s really great that 51���� is making these upgrades and creating new work spaces and environments for both workers and students to enjoy,” she said.

The windows, which date back to the 1960’s, will be replaced in three phases and a new central air system will be installed.

Also included in the renovation are a litany of communication technology repairs and upgrades, as well as an ongoing introduction of sprinklers throughout the building.

One of the biggest but less obvious changes involves taking the building off of the central steam system and installing a stand-alone heat plant within the campus center.

“It will be more efficient and a cost savings for the institution,” O’Connor said.

The state is covering the cost of the project.

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