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Department Spotlight

Q: Which department wants you to visit as often as possible?
A: Campus Recreation, aka the David A. Beckerman Recreation Center staff.

The Department of Campus Recreation:
Working in the beautiful new David A. Beckerman Center,
Campus Recreation invites everyone on campus to take part

Even though it opened before the holiday break, the David A. Beckerman Recreation Center became fully operational when the students returned from their vacation. This past week, students packed the center, averaging 700 visits per day. Clearly, when students told President Steven H. Kaplan a few years ago that a recreation center was a priority for them, they meant it.

As evidence of the center’s popularity, students formed long lines Monday, Jan. 28 for their first check-in of the year.

“From what we are hearing, the students are really excited about the different opportunities at the center,” says Mike Schneider, the director of Campus Recreation. “They are learning that we have so much to offer.”

Schneider, who grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, moved to Connecticut to work at the University. He was most recently facilities manager at the University of Missouri, where he oversaw a $50 million renovation and expansion of what is now a 300,000 square foot recreation complex there. He is moving forward here, launching an intramural program that begins this week, and continuing to promote the center’s numerous attributes.

His staff is equally enthusiastic. This past week, Terence Dew ’11, who is majoring in Computer Science, was lifting weights in one of the center’s workout rooms. He stood up from his workout, breathed deeply, and looked around. "It's beautiful here," he said. "It's a great place to get in shape."

The center is open from 6:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays; noon to 10 p.m. Sundays.