Viewfinder: New Faces Get To See Some New Places

Thursday marked "move in" day for a pair of area schools in a very special way. Both and are marking the completion of a pair of long-anticipated construction projects.

College students spent the day at Missouri Baptist getting comfortable in the University's new Spartan Village, a new residential complex which features furnished apartments in a suite setting. Four students have their own rooms and share two bathrooms, a kitchen, and a lounge area complete with a flatscreen television.

"I love it," Freshman Kristen Perry said. "It's so much more roomy than a dorm." Perry said her other college choice would have had her sharing a dorm with 2 other roommates.

One of her new suitemates, Sophomore Kat Massock agreed. "It's huge. It's a lot bigger than I expected," she said. Massock said she also appreciates having a dishwasher in her kitchen.

When asked how long it would take for the new surroundings to feel like home, Casi Wicks said "maybe an hour."

Each of the buildings in Spartan Village houses twenty students. There are long-range plans to build more student residential areas in addition to the previously existing Boys and Girls dorms.

A school spokesperson said at least 20 students are living in housing arranged through Charter Apartments in Creve Coeur because capacity had been reached for residential space on campus.

A new will open later this fall.                                      

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A few miles away, the Chaminade school community celebrated the completion of the institution's largest building project since the school was founded a century ago.

Chaminade President Rev. Ralph Siefert cut the ceremonial ribbon to open the Skip Viragh Center for the Arts, which houses two auditoriums, band practice facilities, and classrooms.

Students then proceeded inside the Center's large theatre, named in honor of Rev. Siefert, which can hold the entire school community in one place. Students watched a video highlighting the school's athletic accomplishments in the previous year, which also included a time lapse of the building's construction.

Another ceremony, with invited guests and the burial of a time capsule, is scheduled for next month.