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The MacMillan Student Space Upgrade Project 2017

Goal $25,000

Raised $2,684

The MacMillan Student Space Upgrade Project 2017

The MacMillan Student Space Upgrade campaign period has ended, but we still need your support! Please make your donation by clicking on the “Project Ended” button. Thank you!

Story Description

Since 1967, the student space in the basement of the HR MacMillan building has served as a vital hub of Land and Food Systems (LFS) student activity. Home to the LFS Undergraduate Society, and the volunteer student-run eatery, Agora Café, this community space regularly hosts Wednesday Night Dinners, group study sessions, parties, information fairs, film screenings, student forums and the annual LFS Community Dinner.

Over the past 50 years, with little funds available for upkeep, this space—the heart of the faculty—has not kept up with the needs of the students. Outdated equipment and fixtures have meant that students do not have an inviting space in which to connect. We want to revitalize and modernize the Agora student space into a versatile, flexible, mixed-use space—a welcoming one that will enrich LFS students’ university experience.

We are in our second year of fundraising for phase one of the project, to upgrade the furniture and lighting in Agora. Better furniture and lighting will create a warmer and more welcoming space, inviting more individuals to use the space for work and recreation.

Our overall vision includes reconfigurable furniture, a comfortable lounge area, electrical upgrades to provide access to power sources and multimedia ports for presentations and seminars, digital signage, a resource centre, locker to study space conversion, and Agora Café expansion.

Through these upgrades, the Agora student space has the potential to become one of the most popular informal student learning spaces on campus, a source of pride and a campus home for the Land and Food Systems community.

Challenges & The Impact of Your Support

As a small faculty, Land and Food Systems students have a limited network to rely on for fundraising. We hope that you will join us in transforming the Agora student space into the ultimate community hub, so students can better connect with LFS faculty, researchers, staff, the community and each other.

Our goal this year is to raise an additional $25,000 for us to proceed with phase one of the project, to replace the furniture and install better lighting in the Agora space.  We appreciate your donations and support for improving this well-used space.

About the LFS Undergraduate Society

This project is a joint effort led by students from the LFS Undergraduate Society and Agora Café, with support from the Faculty of Land and Food Systems. Many of the students involved have been with the faculty for many years. We are excited to transform the Agora student space into a home away from home for LFS students, from their first day through to graduation day, and beyond. We are passionate about providing a revitalized space for the next generation of LFS students.