Judson gets official student union

Stressed out college students know a place to kick back is nearly as vital as a place to hit the books.

Now, Judson University students finally have a place to call their own.

The Elgin university held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday to unveil its new student union, the Browne Underground.

The union, complete with foosball, pool and ping-pong tables, as well as flat-screen TVs, is housed in the old Benjamin P. Browne library's basement.

Campus events coordinator Jaimee Bartha said Judson's Student Organization has for a long time "wanted something where they could really be in their own place."

Until the Browne Underground's opening, the student gathering place was located across the hall from the dean's office in the Betty Lindner Commons.

When the campus library moved into the Harm A. Weber Academic Center in 2007, officials decided to renovate the old library into a student center and office spaces for Judson staff.

Much of the work, Bartha said, was completed by volunteers. Among them, Judson supporters Ron and Glenda Kinner traveled from Ohio to complete electrical projects.

Renovations were completed over spring break, the week of March 9.

The name Browne Underground, Bartha said, was picked through a student contest. Senior Marissa Pollard came up with the winning name.

Thursday's ribbon cutting included a light show and a performance by Judson's jazz band, Ain't No Nothing.

"It's been fun to see how excited students are about this," Bartha said. "I've been amazed at the number of status updates and posts on Facebook about how great this is going to be."