The Edward P. Hurt Gymnasium has been under renovations since August 2021 and is set to reopen in fall 2023. As of right now, most students on campus have no place to work out or exercise.

Thurgood Marshall Hall residents and student athletes have access to work out facilities, but ordinary students like Allen Dixon, a junior marketing major, are longing for a place to work out on campus.

Dixon said “That’s probably one of the biggest things I’ve disliked about Morgan since I’ve been here, especially since I lost a year due to COVID, but coming in as a sophomore, looking for certain things, and they just weren’t here.” 

Dixon explained further how, as vice president of club volleyball, it was difficult to find spaces on campus to utilize for the club to practice or work out. He felt unsupported by the university administration with helping the club succeed. 

“We were trying to find a space during Fall 21 to play volleyball and Morgan was not trying to work with us at all,” Dixon said. 

Club Volleyball eventually was able to find a consistent practice schedule and even coordinated with the women’s volleyball team to host an event. However, just when they got comfortable, Hurt Gymanism closed, leaving them with no place to practice or work out. 

Kim McCalla, associate vice president for facilities design and construction, said that the gym will feature a new fitness center, a new dance studio and training rooms, gathering spaces for students, and more amenities that will be revealed at a later date. The renovations will transform the gym into essentially a new interior for Hurt Gymnasium. 

The renovations were slated to be completed by fall 2022, but the scope of work for the gymnasium was expanded, resulting in a delayed opening date. 

McCalla said, “We wanted to make it feel good not just temperature wise, but feel good user wise.”

She continued, “It should feel completely or nearly refreshed in the public areas inside the building.” 

The renovations of Hurt Gymnasium have led students to discuss the renovations of other facilities on campus. 

Thurgood Marshall Dining Hall recently opened at the start of the semester, which left Rawlings Dining Hall vacated. Rumors have circulated amongst students that Rawlings will become a new fitness center or a bookstore. 

McCalla said that the use of Rawlings Dining Hall has not yet been determined and she is focusing on the renovation of Hurt Gymnasium first before moving onto other facilities. 

“Right now, I believe, there are other things or activities that may want to happen there [Rawlings] and all that needs to be flushed out before that is finalized,” she said.

Students like Dixon await the reopening of Hurt Gymnasium to better their physical health and mental health. Dixon believes that physical health is just as important as mental health and thus should be treated as such by the university. 

“Morgan State has put a big emphasis on mental health, and we have wellness days and things like that, and there’s different mental health initiatives, and it’s all appreciated, but it almost feels like a slap in the face when they’re not giving us access to fitness spaces or places to play sports. We all know being healthy, being active contributes to your mental health in a big way,” Dixon said. 

The plan is to utilize the equipment being replaced in Hurt Gymnasium and implement them in the residence halls according to McCalla. 

As the university prepares to begin their 10 year plan of renovating residence halls, they will look at what amenities might be added to as the renovation continues. For right now, students can look forward to the opening of Hurt Gymnasium in the fall of 2023.