Places and Spaces
For this edition of Hamilton Extra, we asked students to tell us about spaces on campus that have come to define their experience — each one offering a glimpse into the rhythms, routines, and relationships that shape daily life on College Hill.
Note: If scrolling this page is like a trip down memory lane, please take a moment to share the Hamilton and Kirkland places and spaces that are special to you.
“A walk in the glen is a grounding, peaceful escape from a busy day, and the perfect way to enjoy the increasingly sunny days on campus.”
“As a transfer student, I remember looking at pictures of the CJ first floor while applying and imagining the sense of community that it brought. One thing that’s not obvious about mathematics to many, including myself before I became a math major, is that it’s an exercise in collaboration. This space invites that; it makes office hours and working on homework into a social activity, it connects you with your classmates, and it exposes you to math that you might not have otherwise encountered — several times I’ve had underclassmen come up and ask what I was working on at the blackboard.”
Where did you find your Hamilton?
We asked alumni, on social media and in Hamilton Headlines, to share some of the spaces that helped shape their experience on College Hill. Here are a few they mentioned …
“Dunham dorm is our special place. I met my husband [Paul Christman ’85] on move-in day freshman year (45 years ago). He offered to help carry my stuff up to my room. It turns out we lived across the hall from each other, and the rest is history — our 40th wedding anniversary is this coming June!” — Anne Clark Christman ’85
“Piano practice rooms at List.” — Annie Karl Halvorsen K’76
“The walkway near the Events Barn with rocking or Adirondack chairs. It’s a secret, quiet space with great windows. Loved to study there when I was a student.” — Mike Spicer ’21
“Working? One of those ultra shallow third-floor Burke rooms that had three chairs, an extremely shallow shelf/desk, and nothing but carpet to stare at. Pretending to work? Major dorm lounge and Nerf hoops dome. Not even pretending? ‘The Training Room,’ a converted Dunham two-room double.” — Gary Morris ’85
“The Hamilton Spectator office on the third floor of Bristol Campus Center where in the 1970s aspiring journalists like me learned how to dig for news, fact check with multiple sources, and speak truth to power.” — Robert Keren ’74
“I loved our long dinners in Commons, eating Froot Loops and playing Hearts!” — Jeannine Diddle Uzzi ’93
“The old pub below The Commons! Cheap beer and always friends there.” — Carolyn York K’75
“The Chapel attic [third floor]. I loved the quiet yet cozy atmosphere up there prepping for finals. I would often be surprised by tasty treats by chaplains or someone’s dog coming to work for the day. It was the perfect escape right in the middle of campus. I could suspend the bustle of daily life and find peace and clarity up there during the stressful crunch time.” — Leah Berryhill ’13
“I did good work at my desk on the third floor of Burke on my senior honors thesis, overlooking the Science Center, which I almost never entered as a government major.” — Chris Barry ’85
“Here’s a weird one. A tiny storage room in List that Prof Sam Pellman referred to as the Bat Cave.” — E Foley ’01
“I liked the cemetery on campus. Love the old arches there. One of my favorite professors is buried there, John Anderson. People leave Converse All Star sneakers at his gravesite. It’s very touching. I have a relative buried there, too; Prof. Godcharles was my grandmother’s cousin.” — Jim Blackwood ’84
“I spent every Sunday night for four years in the basement of what was then the Minor Theater, in the WHCL-FM studio. I found it an especially attractive place on rainy nights in October.” — Tommy Thompson ’73
“The Hub, the space in the student center where the café thing was — then after the new center was built, it was the Diner. Could always find a space (in the off hours) to sit and work at a booth while the background noise helped me focus. Also random visits from people, like Professor Simon, who would play The Highwaymen on the jukebox.” — Julie Saslow Winkler ’94
“The Browsing Room at the top of the stairs, to the right, in the ‘old’ library!” — Leslie Lauck Barron K’72
“10-mile run back from Oriskany Falls to campus on Skyline Drive during cross-country season.” — John Werner ’92
“Saunders living room… a lotta good times there.” — Peter Muggleworth ’01
“Third floor of the library overlooking the Quad. I’d watch all the spring activity going on, which motivated me to get my work done so I could join in!” — Lisa Miller Haines ’90
“The platform tennis courts in the winter when the snow was falling and the wind was whipping around; the third reservoir; the ARP studio where I composed my 18-minute opus that Professor Lee loved, and left the others traumatized; the food area in Bristol Campus Center where I had breakfast almost every day in 1973: the Root Glen, its stream and the largest Norwegian Spruce in North America. Many other places.” — Bill Pranchak ’76
“As a sophomore I was living in the dorm at the farthest end of the Kirkland side of campus. Beyond was just quiet — and golf course. Late at night when I was studying, it was so peaceful. It’s one of those places I can travel back to in my mind, and I am there as if I actually am.” — Diana Robbins Jones ’84
Howard Diner
“Going to Diner after Yodapez rehearsals started with me and my friend Rosie. We would already be in high spirits — considering the nature of improv, rehearsals are always hilarious — so this was our way of keeping the fun going. I’ve made so many memories in Diner, and its colors and design make me smile.”
— Lucía Kitsos ’28
Wellin Hall
“The echoes of voices bounce off the walls, generations of performances stored in the air. Each time I am fortunate enough to sing on the wonderful stage, I feel the presence and support of those before me and imagine the future performances by those who will come after me.”
— Brigit Cook ’27
Days-Massolo Multicultural Center
“Simply, the DMC is safety and home to those who struggle to find this comfort elsewhere on campus. Whether it be through programming, food, or, most importantly, the people, the DMC is special because it stands as an explicit place on campus where everyone is accepted.”
— Jun Reiss ’26
Sadove Student Center at Emerson Hall
“The Sadove sunporch was one of the first places I felt welcomed on campus by the Hamilton Christian Fellowship. It’s a wonderful space to hang out and chat with friends because of the comfortable couches, chairs, pillows, and natural light that streams in through the windows.”
— Ben DeGroat ’29
Kirner-Johnson Building
“The abundance of natural sunlight, along with the sound of the fountain echoing throughout, makes the KJ atrium a space of tranquility and serenity.”
— Lily Eshaghoff ’28
Dance Studio
“The dance studio here is where I met some of my closest friends on campus. It is more than simply a place to rehearse; it is where we come together to express ourselves and support one another.”
— Sophia Lostumbo ’29
“Fojo is a really great place to study, catch up with friends, and enjoy a nice drink. One of my favorite parts of the space is the sunken living room feel. It’s also home to some events that I really love like Open Mic! I love how warm it feels.”
Burke Library
“I sometimes like to work in a more confined space. I’m a history major and I read a lot of books. The third floor [of Burke] has a lot of the books I use as sources for papers I’ve written, and it’s nice to read a physical book rather than to always stare at a screen.”
— Harrison Kehler ’26
Taylor Science Center
“The Science Center study rooms are a great spot to get some work done with friends and take in a spectacular view over campus — particularly at sunset!”
— Mason Stranahan ’29
Kirner-Johnson Building Study Room
“They’re definitely hard to come by since there’s only three, but when I can get one, it’s a great place to sit with my friends and study, get work done … and chat.”
— Sabrina Grossman ’28
“Although the Letterpress Studio is elusive, hidden in the Dunham Hall basement, it’s a loud, lively space. Prints cover the walls reminding me of students’ artistic and literary projects from recent years and beyond. The letterpress offers a rare opportunity for hands-on creative labor — learning to set type, bookbind, embellish posters with backgrounds and ornaments, and even print a poem from my creative writing thesis project.”
COME ON IN… Join first-year students Rosie, Zarya, Marques, and Ashley on a tour of Major Residence Hall.
“The climbing wall is one of the only forms of exercise I’ve found that’s continuously mentally engaging; it’s like playing chess with gravity using your own stamina as pieces. There are endless ways to challenge yourself, and no two people will approach a route the same exact way. It’s also an incredibly meditative and mentally grounding practice. When you’re 30 feet in the air and trying to find a foothold, you don’t have room to worry about that upcoming paper or unideal exam grade. You have to be present and intentional with every movement you make. Of course, you’re tied in to the top rope and perfectly safe, but your body doesn’t really know that; even with a rope, climbing narrows your scope and helps to recenter you in a world that’s constantly doing the exact opposite.”
“The Kennedy Center has been a home for me the past four years. Not only does it have every tool I need to grow as an artist; it’s also a communal space to exchange ideas and build meaningful connections with my peers and professors. Here, I learned how to paint, to sculpt, and to express myself in every other way possible. As an international student, [I found] the Kennedy Center has made my Hamilton experience much more meaningful as it helped me realize my passion in art.”
IT'S YOUR TURN — Please take a moment to share the Hamilton and Kirkland places and spaces that are special to you.
Posted May 2026
Previous Editions
It All Started Here: 50 Innovations, Discoveries & Inventions Hamilton Has Given the World
If you’ve ever binged a favorite show on Netflix, sunk your teeth into a Manwich sloppy joe, or marveled at a photo captured by the Hubble Space Telescope, you can thank a member of the College Hill community.
We invite you on a journey through five historical eras of development that led to today’s beautiful campus on College Hill. See how the campus changed.
