THE number of students who used to hang out on benches at Northern Marianas College are getting fewer.
That’s because they have finally found a more convenient place—the Student Center.
The center is fully air-conditioned and offers a wide variety of game boards such as chess and Chinese checkers.
It has 30 chairs and several tables, a big billiards table, darts, a theater room and another room with four computers which they can use for their projects and homework free of charge.
Edwin Propst, NMC’s student programs manager, is partly credited for the sudden popularity of the center.
Through Propst’s innovative and creative ideas, the center is now the “in-place” on the campus, students said.
Last semester, about 100 students visited the center alternately everyday—a record for the office which has been existing for many years now.
“We wanted a place for students to hang out, to get together. But the center has also many other purposes. It’s a place to generate activities for students. We put on contests such as tournaments. It’s also a place to hold forums,” Propst said.
“Recently, we’ve expanded our services to the students. Now, we have four computers where they can type their homework or projects. Hopefully, by the fall they would have Internet access too,” he added.
Just before classes ended, the students and some faculty members competed in a billiards tournament held at the center. There was also a karaoke singing contest, among other activities.
“The main purpose is to support the students for all their extra-curricular activities and to boost their confidence level,” Propst said.
Propst said NMC is a great learning institution and local students need not go off-island to feel the “ambiance of what’s it like to be in college.”
