ASA converts Back Alley storage into student lounge

For years, the space just behind the bar in the Back Alley served mostly as storage. Now it has a pool table, three TVs, a Xbox, a playstation, neon lighting and comfortable seating.

The Augustana Student Association (ASA) opened the ASA Lounge at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 2. ASA President Igen Nyawanda and Vice President Regis Dzenga spoke before cutting the ribbon.

For ASA's executive board, the goal was to give students a place to have fun outside of class. Dzenga said students had been asking for more "third spaces," places outside their dorms and the library where they can relax and spend time together.

ASA’s executive team asked the university for permission to use the space in June, and most of the preparations occurred in August.

The lounge has three TVs: two intended for video games and one for watching sports. ASA also bought a Disney+ subscription bundled with Hulu and ESPN so students can watch shows and games without needing to have their own accounts.

Outside the lounge, colorful lockers work as a free rental system stocked with pool cues, board games, game controllers, sports balls and even a vacuum cleaner and an iron. Students can check out items by scanning a QR code with their Augie email, and most are due back after four hours. Maiers said the rental times and items may change based on student feedback.

ASA treasurer Ayden Calvert said he expects students to take care of the space.

"I'm a big believer in students," Calvert said. "And that if we give them something nice, they will treat it with respect."

The project cost $15,754, including about $5,000 for the pool table, more than $1,000 for the TVs and $2,000 for the furniture. The rest went to decals, signage and lockers. Calvert said a full breakdown is available on ASA’s budget spreadsheet.

The money came from ASA's new Development Fund, not its standard budget. The fund holds $80,000 in savings and past balances and is meant for unique, high-impact projects.

Dzenga explained that the lounge is part of the Nyawanda-Dzenga strategic plan to invest in lasting infrastructure.

The executive team also wants these projects to outlast them. Dzenga said the goal is for future administrations and senates to feel like they’re "inheriting a strong foundation that can be built on for years to come."

Emaan Alam, a junior and ASA senator, said he was impressed by the transformation of the area.

"My freshman year, we always used to walk across this place in the back alley and wonder what the hell was back here," Alam said. "I think [the lounge] is a great utilization of space.”

Fadwa El-Sayed, a sophomore biology major, said she plans to hang out in the lounge with her friends. "It's so pretty," she said.

Randi Maiers, Director of Student Engagement, helped ASA executives buy items and work with facilities. She said the team came to her and Dean of Students Beth Elam with renderings and a clear plan for the space, and then made it happen.

"Now it looks like Augie," Maiers said. "I don't think I could have imagined it to turn out better than what it did."

The lounge is still a work in progress. A couch and coffee table arrive next week, and ASA is working on a PlayStation for one of the TVs as well as adding more lighting.

Dzenga said he felt euphoric at the opening after spending the summer reviewing the renderings.

"When you see people smiling and just having fun with something that you're doing, it means a lot more than any sort of grade could," Dzenga said.