New Moat | Photo by Bethany Althauser | The Wright State Guardian
Wright State Facilities Operations and Maintenance has been working over the summer to roll out cosmetic changes around campus. From the Tom Hanks Center to the Allyn Hall fountains, all these changes bring a fresh feel to campus and students are buzzing about it.
Tom Hanks Center for Motion Pictures
In 2016, Wright State University opened the Tom Hanks Center for Motion Pictures. This facility was made to house many of the film and other media related majors and courses. The partnership came about due to Hanks’ deep rooted relationship with several Raider Alumni that he has worked with throughout the years.
Additionally, Hanks funds a scholarship for media students and continues to have a strong relationship with the school.
This semester, film students should expect the normally bright blue building to be painted a deep green color. With these changes, the center has certainly become a conversation topic amongst the student body.
Some are very displeased, including Brenden Crowe, a motion pictures major.
“The blue building made it stand out. I feel like [by] painting it green, they have taken away any personality and originality Hanks would’ve had,” Crowe said.
Other students did not seem to mind the changes.
“I saw it,” said Alexis Ford, a communications major. “I was on my way to the library and was like ‘Oh, they painted that. Neat.’”
Ford explained that she has never been inside before, but the change was stark.
“I’ve literally never set foot in that building in my life, but the blue was so memorable. I honestly don’t care, but I can see why someone who spent more time there may feel some type of way about it,” Ford said.
Allyn Hall fountains
Another part of the recent cosmetic changes was the filling of the fountains surrounding Allyn Hall. Allyn Hall houses the College of Liberal Arts and is home to the Hangar, a dining hall on campus.
The Hangar is surrounded by fountains, which have been drained and barren for years. Over the summer, the fountain was painted bright green and filled with crystal clear water.
The newly operational fountains have surprised and delighted many students, like Dylan Ackley, an accounting major.
“I didn’t even know they were fountains. Honestly, the first thing I did was call my mom and tell her. We genuinely had no idea that they were fountains,” Ackley said.
Brooke Adkins, a psychology major, also recounted how she felt about the fixed fountains.
“I think it brings a nice atmosphere to Allyn. It honestly reminds me less of a hospital with [the fountains] on now,” said Adkins.
For years, these fountains have lovingly been referred to as “the Allyn Hall moat,” and now with them working, students are happy to be continuing the joke.
Additional Changes
There are several other small changes that have been made around campus. Students should also expect things like new signs and landscaping for the fall semester. The Facilities Operations and Maintenance department has really been working hard to make WSU the “Wright” home for future Raiders.
