Students returning to Stetson will find new spaces, upgraded facilities and expanded support services across campus to discover.

From residence halls and dining upgrades to conservation projects and wellness resources, university staff as well as student workers have spent the summer investing in improvements that strengthen student life and support the university’s continued growth.

While the historic campus continues its modernization progress, it continues to honor the university’s tradition of fostering lifelong relationships and connections.

Students Spoke – We Listened

The Coffee Shop in the Carlton Union Building (CUB) now proudly serves smoothies as well as Starbucks coffee. Students asked for healthy smoothie options in the last student survey and the Campus Life and Student Success team was thrilled to introduce the expanded menu for the new academic year.

The number one student request from the survey was to add Copperhead Jacks which is located in the former location of Hatter StrEats in the Hat Rack.

The CUB’s new expanded operating hours means lunch and dinner are now served from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Even brunch is getting an upgrade with new stations for students to get made-to-order food on the weekends.

More food changes are on the horizon according to Correll-Hughes. “We make no promises about the timing, but an on-campus location of Buffalo Wild Wings will open at some point by August 2027.”

Make sure to welcome new team members General Manager Joe Lachina, Director of Dining at The Commons Eduardo Perez and Senior Catering Manager Jim Jerome.

Expanded Spiritual & Mental Health Support

Over the summer, Campus Life and Student Success expanded access to spiritual and wellness support through the hiring of three new staff members. The new positions complement Stetson’s broader efforts to expand mental health resources while strengthening spiritual support and interfaith engagement opportunities for students.

• Rev. Jeremy Carlton, PhD, left, the new University Chaplain who is also Director of Religious and Spiritual Life.

• Rebekah Ford, center, Hillel Program Director for Jewish Life and Interfaith Engagement.

• Rev. Clair Jasper-Crafter, EdD, right, new part-time Assistant Chaplain.

“We’re very excited about the additional energy, care and support they will bring to our campus,” said Correll-Hughes.

Stetson also engages in interfaith and dialogue-based programming thanks to a grant from the Ginsburg Family Foundation to foster civil dialogue and discourse. The effort continues to be led by Erin Doggette PhD, Rev. Caitlin White Swann and Jeremy Posadas, PhD, who have helped so many by working to integrate religious and spiritual life into a relationship-rich learning experience.

When Peace & Mindfulness Matters

Beyond the traditional spaces for prayer, students will find a welcoming space on the front porch of the CUB where the university has invested in new green and white rocking chairs. In addition, the Peace Room inside the CUB is a place where students, professors, and staff can go for quiet reflection at a central location regardless of the time of day.

“We’ve worked really hard to develop a mindful and welcoming atmosphere at Stetson,” says Correll-Hughes.

Lynn Hall Hosts Presidential Fellows & Pre-Law

The new residence hall is now fully occupied and outfitted to enhance student success with a blend of academics and residential life.

Stetson University President Christopher Roellke, PhD, will be teaching his First-Year Seminar (FSEM) to 50 Presidential Fellows in the new seminar room at Lynn Hall. This is double the number of Fellows from last year, an expansion made possible by Stetson’s Board of Trustees approval of a $15 million financial investment to strengthen recruitment, retention and graduation of academically qualified students over the next five years.  

The seminar room where President Roellke will be teaching is part of the student-centered design at Lynn Hall that includes a great room – also known as “The Living Room” – and an open common area that are accessible to all Hatters via key card access. Note the residential areas will remain secure to only students in residence at Lynn Hall.

Lynn Hall is also proud to host Stetson’s inaugural cohort of the LAW READY Living and Learning Community (LLC). The community is a new and unique opportunity for first-year students to live and study with other pre-law students on the DeLand campus.

“We’re excited to see how students use the new gathering spaces at Lynn Hall, Brockway Plaza and the updated Edmunds Center that all came online last semester,” said Larry Correll-Hughes, PhD, Associate Vice President for Campus Life and Student Success.

Safety Upgrades

New sidewalks and upgraded parking near the Sorority houses on Amelia Boulevard are ready for students’ return to Greek housing. “The parking lot was long due to be refurbished so that parking lot has been completely rebuilt this summer,” said Scott Thacker, Associate Vice President of Facilities Management. In addition, new sidewalks were installed due to the university working closely with the county on the safety issues. “The sidewalks are actually owned and maintained by the county so we asked them to consider replacing the sidewalk while the majority of students were on break.” Visitors to the area will notice updated landscaping as well as increased lighting to expand the area’s safety footprint.

Residence Hall & Building Refreshes

A new corps of student painters were hired over the summer to help Stetson staff refresh paint in residence halls as well as other buildings on campus.

Other improvements include:

• Stage installation at Lynn Hall’s outdoor amphitheater.
• Covered batting cages at the award-winning Patricia Wilson Field in support of the Stetson Hatters softball team, winners of the 2026 ASUN Conference.
• New furniture, carpeting and lounge upgrades in Emily Hall; new furniture and built-in shelving in the fraternity houses.
• Deep cleaning of student rooms and laundry equipment.
• Preventive maintenance and filter changes to the HVAC system to ensure optimal air quality in all campus buildings.

New Homes for Honors & International Learning

Chaudoin Hall is the new home of the Honors Living and Learning Community (LLC). Synergistic academic and residential opportunities like the Honors LLC help students develop relationships with peers and easily form study groups in support of high achievement.

The WORLD: The David and Leighan Rinker Center for International Learning has moved to an upgraded location in Allen House on Woodland Boulevard. The WORLD program provides faculty-led study abroad opportunities as well as longer term exchange programs which promote global and intercultural understanding across Stetson and the world.

Smith Hall Goes Green

One of the most noticeable changes students will come across is the new green space created after the summer demolition of Smith Hall.

Students will find campus’ newest green space between Gordis Hall and the beach volleyball courts. The site will look relatively back to normal and soon be contributing to Stetson’s national recognition as one of the “Most Beautiful College Campuses in the South” by Southern Living and Country Living magazines.

Environmental conservation and repurposing building materials was top of mind for Thacker. “There was very little that did not get reused elsewhere.” While it wasn’t an historical building, there were architectural elements that were able to be salvaged and reused by Florida Victorian Architectural Salvage, a DeLand company owned by Stetson alum Mark Shuttleworth ‘71. Thacker’s team also worked with recycling companies to reuse the concrete as well as bricks. University archives preserved several of the bricks and archived photos as well as other items to retain a record of the building.

In addition, Jes Day, Executive Director of Residential Living and Learning, was able to rehome most of the building’s newer furniture by replacing older furniture in use at five fraternities and donating the remaining items to community organizations such as Florida Sheriff’s Youth Ranch. Stetson continued its tradition of supporting The Neighborhood Center of West Volusia by providing 40 beds to their Housing Program which will provide safety and comfort to individuals and families in the community.