A new look for the home of the Patriots

The Smith University Center, home to Patriot athletics, the university bookstore, and much of student life at FMU, has a shiny new look.

A major renovation project was completed last November, just in time for fall commencement. The project, which shut the doors of the UC for the better part of a year, included a new student fitness center, new athletic training space and expanded locker room space for the Patriot teams that compete in the Smith Center, and brighter, updated decor, flooring, and furniture all around. 

“It turned out superbly,” says FMU President Fred Carter. “It’s bright, it’s inviting, the space is being used in a manner that better fits our current needs. I think all alumni will be proud when they see it.”

Closing FMU’s indoor pool created space for the new student fitness center as well as the expanded space for athletic facilities. Carter says while most students won’t see the athletic space — new locker rooms and athletic training areas —  it is a big difference maker to the teams that utilize it.

“That part of the complex is now every bit as modern as Griffin Athletic Complex spaces are across the way,” says Carter. “With the renovation, FMU clearly has some of the finest Division II athletic facilities in the Southeast.”

The Smith Center is one of FMU’s original core buildings and is the largest structure on campus. It was built in 1974. The recent renovation work totaled near $4 million and was funded using existing athletic bonds.