When the incoming president toured Samford University’s Student Affairs spaces in 2021, he made sure to stop by Seibert Hall, the campus’ rec center. At his previous institution, he built a new rec center and saw the impact a state-of-the-art space can have on the student experience.
“He came over to the old rec center and just said, ‘this isn’t suitable for our students,’” said Nick Madsen, the executive director of Campus Recreation. “Samford is growing, and our president could see that, but obviously if you’re going to grow, you need to have the space. He went through the building of a new rec center before and he understood the importance of these areas.
Before the completion of Seibert Hall, Campus Rec was working with an outdated, 60-year-old facility and two other buildings on campus to provide gym space, fitness studios and exercise areas for students. “Prior to the renovation and addition, Seibert Hall hadn’t had many improvements over the years,” explained Lauren Taylor, the associate vice president of Student Affairs. “It was a dated facility.”
A New Campus Rec Era at Samford University
After identifying the need, the project was set in motion with construction beginning in December 2023. On September 20, 2024, a ribbon cutting ceremony was held, officially opening the $85 million renovated facility. The project revamped all four floors of the complex and covered 165,000 square feet. Student visits increased from 40,000 in an entire year to 75,000 in Fall 2024 alone when the doors were opened on September 30.
“Seeing guests enter the renovated space on opening weekend and hearing the excitement and amazement over the beauty and offerings of the space has been a highlight of my 24-year professional career,” said Taylor. “Our data on the usage of the facility and participation in programming shows our community loves and appreciates the new building.”
With the renovation, Madsen noted the need for a “wow factor” in the facility. For this, Samford turned to the growing need for strength equipment. As such, a weight room with equipment from Life Fitness was created as a centerpiece of Seibert Hall. However, with increasing belonging as a main goal of the project, this wasn’t the only addition.
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For visitors uncomfortable working out in a highly visible, large strength training space, the team intentionally incorporated small, more isolated pockets of fitness equipment around the facility. This way, students can choose where they feel most comfortable working out and can work up to the big weight room. “We didn’t want to leave anyone behind and make sure everyone felt they belonged,” explained Madsen.
Along with revamped fitness spaces, Seibert Hall is a hub for community and well-being with the Bulldog Bistro and 24-hour Bulldog Express food market, an esports area, Human Touch massage chairs, and plenty of space for students to hang out and socialize. The plethora of spaces that speak to various aspects of wellness make the facility stand out on campus. Campus Rec’s commitment to providing excellent service, programming and amenities, and being a place for the community is evident in the final product.
“Seibert Hall is unique as it allows the Samford community to come together in innovative and exciting ways while enhancing one’s sense of belonging,” said Dean Morgan, the associate director of Campus Recreation. “It’s a safe space on campus for all students, faculty and staff.”
For the Students and by the Students
From the moment someone steps into the facility, the goal is to make sure they feel they belong. No matter if they want to work out, play a game of pool or get something to eat, Seibert Hall has a place for them. A big part of ensuring visitors felt welcome from the get-go is keeping the space clean and well-maintained to ensure top-quality service.
To emphasize the level of quality Samford was looking for, Madsen compared the operations and experience of visiting the facility to one of a health club. This expectation was difficult to achieve as a campus rec department, but the bar had been set and Madsen worked to reach it.
When one of Samford’s vice presidents told Madsen the new facility felt like a health club, it was his confirmation of a job well done. “There’s a lot of pressure on you to make sure you have the right thing for everyone and you’re going to hit the needs for what the community and stakeholders want,” said Madsen. “It’s a blessing that everyone has loved it and we’ve grown from it.”
With a project like this being such a large undertaking, Madsen emphasized the need to rely on your various support networks to help problem solve and ensure you’re delivering the best product possible.
From the beginning, upper administration got involved with the planning process of the reimagined Seibert Hall. When Madsen was evaluating vendors, attending conferences and visiting other campuses, his associate vice president was often there with him. Madsen ultimately had the autonomy to determine key aspects of the facility, but having support from upper administration helped reduce friction and increased buy-in of the importance of campus rec’s role in student life.
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“When other university rec departments have come to visit us, I tell them they have to get their boss, upper administration or their vice presidents to come and look at our facility if they have the time,” said Madsen. “They’ll see what an impact it has made at Samford.”
In fact, Taylor recommended visiting other universities and surveying students as a vital part of the facility development process. “Prior to the design of our renovation and construction project, we were able to visit 20 to 25 institutions and asked students and staff what they liked about their campus recreation facilities,” she explained. “We also asked them what was missing. The information we gathered was so beneficial in the design of our facility.”
Ultimately, by understanding students on other campuses, it allowed Samford Campus Rec to better connect with the students on its own campus.
During the planning and building process, Madsen encouraged staff to connect with students to learn what they wanted in the facility and programming but also to find out how to best invest in them. Already successful in helping students achieve personal wellness, looking for ways to be a bigger part in students’ lives increases the impact of the department. They’re doing this by improving students’ overall campus experience and playing a role in their professional development.
“That’s why we’re all here,” said Madsen. “We want to mentor students because one day they’re going to be out there and be the managers or building a business. We want to be beside them and help them with their journey.”
Employment Opportunity Growth
As a result of the renovation, the number of student jobs has doubled in the department, with 100 employees in the facility and about 40 staff members involved in intramurals. Furthermore, the team has also created a marketing internship for students after identifying the need to spread the word about Campus Rec’s new spaces and offerings as far and wide as possible.
The identification of this need happened after Madsen received administration’s support to create and fill five professional staff positions, including Morgan’s. None were directly involved in marketing, but Morgan felt it was a gap in operations that needed to be filled.
“I took it upon myself and spoke with Nick about my vision,” said Morgan. “I knew a marketing intern would be helpful and very beneficial. Nick gave me the greenlight to search for one and we then set up a budget for the area. With the grand opening of Seibert and the anticipated growth of programs, this position became key in making sure we had representation across campus.”
As a result, Mallory Sorrell, a junior at Samford, became the first marketing intern for the department. She and Morgan have worked to increase the social media presence of the department, visibility of Campus Rec’s brand and mission, and accessibility and engagement through digital platforms.
“Marketing within Samford Campus Recreation has excelled and pushed our programs to record numbers in each area,” explained Madsen. “We’ve run campaigns that have allowed our brand to be showcased across our campus community. Our social media platforms have reached record followers and engagements. Our goal is to ensure the entire Samford community is aware of our programs and services we offer.”
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Morgan noted the positive effect in other areas as well, including programming and operations along with general engagement. “We’ve seen record-setting numbers,” he remarked. “We have students reaching out all the time about how to get involved and about employment within all our areas. You can walk across campus and almost be guaranteed to see a student using Campus Recreation apparel or a branded item.”
To find success in this area, Morgan emphasized catering to what students want to see. However, this is easier said than done with the constant revolving trends affecting younger generations the most. Finding out how to grow Campus Rec’s social media presence was the biggest challenge of all.
To tackle this, Morgan and Sorrell did research on effective campaigns and looked at what other schools were doing. This way, they can keep a pulse on how to best engage with students and have proven strategies in their toolbox as new trends and innovations pop up. “I think sometimes once we find a recipe for success, we just keep producing that recipe,” explained Morgan. “In reality, trends and students are always evolving. Our marketing efforts should remain innovative.”
Down the road, Madsen noted the likelihood of having a full-time staff member dedicated to marketing for the department, but he’s grateful students are able to get professional opportunities through Campus Rec.
“It’s kind of crazy it’s a student creating a lot of our phenomenal social media content for us,” said Madsen. “We’re giving them opportunities and we’ve been blessed. I like that we have the chance to invest in students to get them to start creating and give them some of their first professional opportunities.”
In Summary
Ultimately, every decision Madsen and Samford make — both in the development of Seibert Hall and after its completion — is made with the student experience in mind. According to Taylor, as a result students are excited because it’s evident the facility is made for them.
“In every aspect of Campus Recreation, Nick’s primary concern and focus is the students and their experience at Samford,” explained Taylor. “He wants to ensure students have a great experience in Campus Recreation as well as other activities at the university.”
For Madsen, he’s grateful to know current and future students will enjoy the facility. With the process of overseeing the development of Seibert Hall and everything it entails, building relationships and connecting with others proved invaluable.
“There are multiple things that need to happen during the process but asking questions and being available for all your partners along the way makes the project go smoother,” shared Madsen. “It’s draining and demanding, but I’m blessed to go through it. I’ve learned so much and have made great relationships from it.”
