Albion College is home to students from “30+ countries,” according to Albion College’s website, yet lacks a formal housing option for these students, increasing the need for a dedicated shared space.
Associate Director of International Student Services Dena Reuben said the newly renovated Global Commons is a space “where people can go and kind of have some downtime, instead of going all the way back to their residence.”
Formally opened since the beginning of January, Reuben said the space includes “games, snacks and a giant whiteboard” where students can complete homework and leave messages for one another. It also includes more informal seating, like beanbags and a couch.
Joinville, Brazil, junior Larissa Botega said, “The Global Commons have become way better,” adding that “there’s always some snacks.”
Loss of Dedicated Housing, Shift in Support
Reuben said the space’s creation and renovation followed the closing of the former Global House, which closed because of the lack of “somebody who wanted to be responsible for it.”
For Botega, while the Global Commons recreates aspects of shared space, “it’s still an academic building and working in academic hours.” She added that a residential space would allow for “more freedom.”
Even without dedicated housing, Accra, Ghana, senior Papa Yaw Thompson said community remains the most important factor.
“If you have your community, that’s the best thing rather than a place,” Thompson said.
Building Community Through Space
Beyond its amenities, Reuben said the room is meant to be “a community space for the international community to come together,” and that events such as coffee hours have already drawn strong attendance, with students “just having a good time, playing games and talking and catching up.”
For Gaborone, Botswana, sophomore Mimi Ketlhalefile, the renovations have made the space feel “more intentional” and welcoming in everyday use.
What once existed as a general gathering area has, Ketlhalefile said, become “more of a hangout space,” with added seating, lighting and amenities that “set a really nice vibe” and make it feel “a lot more cozy.”
Ketlhalefile added that the renovations have also reshaped how students interact with one another.
“I feel like now it’s more of a hub where people hang out,” Ketlhalefile said. “In between classes, I go in there, and there’s always people, and we get to talk.”
Beyond social connection, Ketlhalefile said the space plays an important role in helping international students navigate shared challenges. Because international students often have “unique experiences on campus,” Ketlhalefile said having a central place to meet allows them to “very quickly talk to” others going through similar situations.
For Thompson, the updated space has made that sense of community more visible in everyday campus life.
“You get to meet most of the international students that you regularly don’t meet on a normal day,” Thompson said. “It’s a good place to relax, rewind and socialize as well.”
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