The Student Center renovations feature modern designs and an increase in seating furniture.

The David S. Mack Student Center officially welcomed the highly anticipated Starbucks-licensed store and a Brooklyn Slice Pizza, as well as an upgraded Revolution Noodle & Sushi on Thursday, Aug. 29, in time for the start of the fall academic semester. 

Other updates include Eli’s Dining, a revamped Freshens menu and a new lounge for students to gather, study and recharge. 

The goal of the dining renovations, in partnership with Compass Dining Services, was to improve the “aesthetic appeal, functionality and efficiency of the Student Center Atrium.” 

“[The Student Center] doesn’t look like a warehouse anymore,” said Jenna Lucarello, a junior video/television and film production major. “It’s a lot more inviting and a lot [clearer] on how to move around within the space and get to where you want to go easily.”

On top of upgrading the atrium to “be more vibrant, visible and inviting to all who visit the building,” the seating furniture was replaced to include more functional and comfortable options, as well as an “increase in overall seating capacity from 100 to 150.” 

Junior mechanical engineering major Edward Mabeza rated the entire cafeteria renovations an 8.5 out of 10 based on a decline of accessibility in the new seating furniture. “Some of the places don’t have the outlets how they used to back when they had the benches and high stand tables,” he said. 

Even though a majority of students are happy with the new Student Center design, others are unsettled by the relocation of Freshens to the back of the dining hall. 

“I really thought they got rid of [Freshens], but then I saw someone with a Freshens cup and I was like, ‘Where did they get that?’” said Melissa Medina, a junior in the athletic training program. 

Senior early childhood/childhood education and psychology double major Holly Alexander would prefer to go to Starbucks over Freshens because of its new location. “[Starbucks] is the first thing I see, and the first thing you see is usually what you gravitate to,” Alexander said.

Just like many other students, Alexander is a big fan of the upgraded, enlarged Starbucks. She said, “It has become a staple in our society, so [Hofstra] putting in something that we would actually like shows that they care about student life.”

During the summer of 2020, there will be more renovations coming to the Student Center Café, including “the servery, the kitchen and new culinary concepts.”