With Dedication and Blessing, Magis Activity Center Becomes Part of the Campus Landscape

It’s been more than a year in the making, but with a dedication and blessing on Thursday, the center officially became part of the Rockhurst University campus landscape.

Approximately 200 students, faculty, staff, and representatives of the building design and construction team were on hand Thursday to officially dedicate the new center.

 The 16,200-square-foot donor-funded building, located directly south of Bourke Field, features a large open space with cardio, weight, and CrossFit equipment; a group exercise room, made for yoga or aerobics-related classes; locker rooms for the men’s and women’s soccer teams; glass panels designed both for views of campus and to reduce solar heat gain; and the Jim and Ellen Glynn Alumni Commons, a multipurpose space for events, also overlooking Bourke Field.

Other features add to the center's uniqueness – on the exterior north wall of the facility is the University’s newest core value reflection site, expressing the value of “magis,” or “more,” through a metal installation featuring the Jesuit motto of “ad majorem Dei gloriam,” or “for the greater glory of God” and the symbol for the Society of Jesus.

“It is an invitation in this building and in every building that has that AMDG, that as you move through the portals of that building, what you do there is for the greater glory of God,” said the Rev. Thomas B. Curran, S.J., Rockhurst University president.

The center also includes an on-site assessment room, opening the door for students and faculty in areas such as exercise science, occupational therapy, and physical therapy to offer fitness education or training to users and expand the existing Exercise is Medicine On Campus initiative. Because of that, Nicole Moodie, Ph.D., associate professor of exercise science, said it’s fitting that the dedication of the building take place during what is Exercise is Medicine On Campus month.

“The goal of that initiative is to recognize that it’s during the college years that you really lay the foundation for health changes,” she said. “I’m really hopeful that everyone will participate in the different activities that are available here.”

Student and staff speakers thanked donors and those who guided the building through design and construction. Senior Preston Mboob, a defender on the men’s soccer team, said the new locker rooms would contribute to a deeper feeling of camaraderie for both the men’s and women’s teams, while junior Holly Sullivan, representing Student Senate, said the center is poised to become a new focal point for campus life, providing opportunities for relationships to grow.

“This is really more than just a building, it’s a place where we can come together for a common goal, have fun with our friends, and above all else, better ourselves,” she said.

Learn more about the MAC, including hours, here.