For 68 years, the Connell Student Center welcomed thousands of students through its doors. Located in the heart of Mercer University’s Macon campus, it was a place to meet new friends, celebrate victories, fill empty bellies, attend club meetings and so much more.
As we look toward constructing a dynamic new student center to better serve the needs of current and future generations of students, we treasure the memories we made in the building that came before.
Here’s how some Mercer alumni remember the CSC. Share your own memories at buildingforbears.mercer.edu.
“I still remember my very first meal at the Connell Student Center — which was the first time I ever tried biscuits and gravy. Over the years, it became the backdrop for so many moments: sitting with friends, sharing meals with my sorority sisters, and striking up conversations with new faces that would later become lifelong friends. I can even picture my old meal ID card. The Connell Student Center was truly a special gathering place, filled with a treasure trove of memories I’ll always hold close.”
— Courtney Meehan O’Loughlin, CLAS ’90
“I had the privilege of being at Mercer to dine in the CSC dining hall and then the newly built UC. You could even still cruise campus when the road was still open. The CSC is where everyone convened during downtime to ‘see’ whoever you wanted to bump into.”
— James Nixon, BUS ’05
“One of my favorite CSC memories was, I think, in 1981, when a group of musicians (all from Phi Mu Alpha, I think), all a little ahead of me, played a concert in a packed co-op. They played a full-length show of classic rock covers. I’ve been to lots of live concerts, but this was truly a great show! I’d pay good money for a recording if one exists! Bill Gabbard (CLAS ’81) and I talked about this show at Homecoming back in November. Of course, I ate a lot of breakfast sandwiches (the “Egg McMercer,” we called it) too.”
— Craig Higgins, CLAS ’83
“The memories are endless … from getting dropped off here a week before school started to becoming a member of Delta Sigma Theta in the entrance to meet ups with friends … hosting chapter events in the conference rooms … lunchtime meetups … I mean CSC was a huge part of my college experience. While I’ll miss this building, I can’t wait to see the new student center and make memories in it as an alumna.”
— Pamela Gipson-Durden, CLAS ’11
“From my freshman year in 2016 until my senior year in 2020, I spent almost every Monday night in the Connell Student Center, Conference Room 2, for weekly SGA meetings. I was blessed enough to serve as a freshman and sophomore senator, then as SGA president both my junior and senior year. SGA introduced me to my best friends, and it all happened in the CSC. Way more than meals and meetings happened in the CSC. Lifelong friendships were forged, and hours upon hours were spent in that building.”
— Adam Penland, CLAS ’20, EDU ’21
“The small, old school post office on the bottom level holds many memories for me. As a Canadian far from home, I frequented it a lot as my mom would send me care packages when I was down and missing family and friends. I got to know the ladies who worked in there very well! I also signed up for my first Visa card at a table right outside of the bookstore!”
— Karen Shlemkevich, CLAS ’97
“Connell Student Union in the 1980s had the best fresh popcorn on the planet. We had T-Lady (Thelma Ross) at the cash register, making all the students feel welcomed. Parking out front was plentiful, and smoking was allowed in the building. There was one PC in the student computer center upstairs. There was no wait to use it.”
— Jill Kinsella, CLAS ’85
“We have shared lunch together in the caf almost every day for the past three years. We met each other in the caf, and our friendship grew from there. We’re sorority sisters, we’re Big-Little, and we are each other’s best friend. Together we would greet Miss Takisha, cross our fingers for our favorite caf foods (caf hot dog, baked spaghetti, oatmeal raisin cookies, Fried Chicken Wednesday and International Eats), study, and people watch. … We’ve laughed and cried here. Mercer is ‘the place,’ but the caf was our place.”
— Cecilia Althen-Sumner, CLAS ’26, and Carlee Schultz, ENG ’26
“During my undergraduate years at Mercer, I lived in various rooms in Roberts Hall, which is right across the yard from the Connell Student Center. … One day as I was enjoying the early morning breeze and glancing out the window, I noticed someone on the ‘bridge’ of Connell Student Center. What caught my eye was when I noticed that that student appeared to be looking at me. I ignored it at first, but when I walked by the window again, I immediately thought that maybe he could see me and laughed it off. When I walked by the window again, that is when I thought, ‘Let’s see if he can,’ so I waved, and he waved back.”
— Chiquita Anderson, BUS ’96
“As a member and board member of the Organization of Black Students and a member of the Omega Mu chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc., we have hosted numerous events in the CSC. Family and friends gathered while my line sisters and I became official members of Zeta Phi Beta.”
— Jasmine Fuller, CLAS ’12
“For a time, Mercer University was the event space for Georgia High School All-State Band auditions. The warm-up space was on the top floor of Connell. When I auditioned at Mercer to qualify for a scholarship, one of our first stops was Connell. I immediately recognized it as the place I had auditioned at twice in the past. I believe that helped me nail my audition. … There used to be a gigantic Mercer flag draped from the ceiling in the main entryway. I once plopped down in front of it to try to compose a musical piece based on the flag. It ended up being too moody to use.”
— Timothy Born, CLAS ’06, MUS ’06
