New Year–New Campus
Welcome to the 2012-13 academic year—and to the new King’s campus. Compared to five months ago, everything looks and feels vastly different. Having vacated our subterranean dwelling in the Empire State Building, we’ve moved out of darkness into the light.
Welcome to the 2012-13 academic year—and to the new King’s campus. Compared to five months ago, everything looks and feels vastly different. Having vacated our subterranean dwelling in the Empire State Building, we’ve moved out of darkness into the light.
Yes, we have windows—lots of them—which has prompted a number of you to sing the Hallelujah Chorus. There are additional upsides. We have more classrooms, an expanded media lab, and an art room. We’ll soon have our own street-level entrance to the College. While we do not have one large lounge, there are more hang out spots on campus: on the 6th floor, Café Six and the Lion’s Den; on the 5th floor, Café Five and other small nooks. When the main entrance is completed in September, we’ll gain another lounge. And, though it is not operated by King’s, there is a large cafeteria on the 3rd floor with inexpensive food. We’ve arranged the campus with you in mind.
One significant change is our “one-stop-shop” model. We’ve located all key services—financial aid, I.T., registrar, bursar, counseling, housing—on the 6th floor, which means you can take care of your business in one place rather than running all over campus. The campus is still a work in progress, so I ask you to be patient. It will take a little more time to get everything up to speed. We’ve also upgraded our surroundings. I love the vibe here in “old Manhattan” compared to Midtown. We’re a stone’s throw from the Stock Exchange and Federal Hall, Alexander Hamilton’s grave, the 9/11 Memorial, Battery Park, and a host of other sites. It’s fun to explore the narrow streets on foot. Did I mention the food trucks? The Financial District trumps Midtown when it comes to tasty, inexpensive edibles. I’ve been getting fat this summer eating sandwiches at Sam’s Falafel at Zucotti Park.
Though it feels like a different King’s, it’s not. Much remains the same: our mission; our rigorous curriculum; our excellent faculty; our Houses; our dress code; the honor system. The pulse of the College is unchanged. As we enter a new era of The King’s College, we are more committed than ever to strengthening the King’s experience. I look forward to working with you to continue shaping King’s into the most unique Christian college in America. See you all at Convocation tomorrow night (8:00 PM, St. Georges Church, 16th Street and Rutherford Place).