After nearly two years of construction, the Bears returned from Spring Break excited to settle into the newly opened Campus Center. As we said goodbye to old routines in the Jack and welcomed new ones, enthusiasm, gratitude, and connection infused the campus, marking the start of a new chapter under the Mountain!
The festivities began on March 28th, with an all-school lunch commemorating the opening. The space bubbled with energy as every member of the Berkshire community gathered to share a long-awaited lunch. From fresh pizza baked in the Class of ’25 pizza oven to a synchronized K-pop routine from the dance team, the event celebrated the building and the people who bring the space to life. After finishing lunch, Board Chair James Haskel ’86 joined Head of School Pieter Mulder, along with All-School Presidents Stella Demmert ’25 and Michkael McKenzie ’25, Senior Co-class Presidents Nora Wendell ’25 and Riki Ishiyama ’25, and Head Prefect Trevor Sullivan Weinstein ’25 to cut the inaugural ribbon. After lunch, students headed downstairs to play a game of ping pong or pool, grab a treat from Shawn’s, and enjoy each other’s company.
While the adjustments we made over the past 22 months may have felt inconvenient or bothersome at times, the result not only shortened the walk to lunch but also sparked a stronger reunification of the community than ever imagined. Through Green & Gray events, such as spikeball and SoCo ice cream, and StuCo events such as movie nights and root beer floats, the new space has become a place for meaningful connections between Bears from all backgrounds. Since the opening, the Campus Center has become the core of everyday life at Berkshire: a place to meet between classes, a place to share meals, a place to exchange “how are yous”, a place to make memories together, and most of all, a place of belonging.
Thank you to all who brought the Campus Center to life, supported the temporary space in the Jack, eased the transition between the two, made sacrifices to bring this vision to fruition – and, finally, to all who fill it with the spirit of what it means to be a Berkshire Bear.
