ATLANTA — Students at Georgia Tech will have a daily reminder of the legacy and impact of the late Congressman John Lewis.
The university unveiled its John Lewis Student Center Thursday, named in honor of the civil rights icon and long-time Georgia lawmaker. Lewis died in July of 2020.
"Our campus sits in the district where Congressman Lewis served for 33 years and meeting rooms inside are named after streets in his former district," Georgia Tech announced on social media.
According to its website, the student center houses 11 dining concepts with its third floor hosting spaces for student programming, a reflection space, grad student lounge and a multicultural lounge. The building also has two theaters to help support student events and admissions tours and day lockers for student use.
Georgia Tech said the center boasts a rich history, starting with its initial name: The Original Fred B. Wenn Building. Opening in 1970 thanks to the effort of the student honor society Omicron Delta Kappa, the building would serve the nearly 7,000 students enrolled at Georgia Tech at the time.
Decades later, the building would house the center of athlete services during the 1996 Olympic Games. Several areas in the building were modified to meet the needs of the 15,000 athletes and the Atlanta Committees for the Games, according to Georgia Tech. A few years later, in 2004, the building would be renamed the Stamps Student Center Commons.
A new tab in its history is now commemorated by its interior design, nodding to famous phrases and imagery from Georgia's giant in civil rights.
One mural near the food court depicts a young Lewis with the quote, "Stand up for what you truly believe in." Students can also draw inspiration from another mural that reads: "I urge you to answer the highest calling of your heart."
Atlanta recently marked two years since Lewis' burial with the announcement of the Good Trouble John Lewis Park where an eternal flame is planned to be lit in his honor.
The student center's rededication is part of the Campus Center Project, which is outlined on Georgia Tech's Student Center website.