Until recently, construction was the main activity on Ave Maria University's permanent campus. In the past week, however, the focus has shifted: the first phase of construction is ending, and we're moving in! Student workers have replaced construction workers in the classrooms, labs and offices. Everyone is unpacking, setting up and preparing for the semester.
Everyone involved is absolutely amazed by what they see. When they're not unpacking, students and staff are busy exploring the new campus. They're checking out everything from the cafeteria to the library to classrooms to the dorms, and liking what they see. They see more labs, more practice rooms, more space — both for studying and socializing. Common areas and study areas are scattered conveniently through all the buildings. They also see brand-new technology, the center of a beautiful town, sports fields, and the list goes on. Everyone also realizes just what an incredible amount of work and drive went into making a town and a university spring up in southwest Florida in such a short amount of time.
But if the buildings were all we had, we wouldn't have much of a school. No amount of labs, books or dorms will make a University on their own. Students, faculty and staff were building Ave Maria into something amazing before a single building went up for the permanent campus or town.
If students didn't crowd into the chapels on the old campus, would there be one in every single building on the new one? Why did so many students want to know where we'd have the nightly rosary walk on the new campus? Students are looking forward to using all the new resources, many of which they specifically requested. The real quality of the school isn't what it has; it's what students are doing with it. Ave students have never been ones to waste opportunities. For them to gain a great deal of new opportunities all at once will have amazing results.
Every new class has its own flavor to add to the school, and the older classes are looking forward to seeing what the incoming classes have to offer. But no matter how many new things are coming in, there's no need for a new foundation. Future classes will be bringing new materials to build upon the foundation that's already there; we'll still be doing things Ave-style. We're planning on a lot of fun, a lot of work, and even more prayer.
Find out about the school and our students: visit our website at www.AveMaria.edu, or come visit us at our new home! To set up a visit or get more information, contact us at 877-AVE-UNIV.
