YVC to celebrate refurbished Hopf Union Building on April 12
Major improvements to the Hopf Union Building (HUB) designed to reinvigorate the student experience at Yakima Valley College will be celebrated during a grand re-opening event on Friday, April 12. The refurbishment of the HUB’s interior — the culmination of years of imagining and planning — will be on display during the event from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
“Updating the HUB and the spaces our students use is a concrete way to show students that we value them and care about them enough to invest in them,” said Laura Yolo, a communications instructor who helped lead planning for the project in her former role as YVC’s student life manager. “Students will have more options for study spaces for groups, more options for where to eat and a new activity area where they can relax and have a break from studying.”
Yakima Student Council President Yadira Chavez believes the project will help revolutionize the student experience on campus.
“The updated facilities provide a contemporary and cozy environment for students to study, unwind and form connections with their peers,” said Chavez. “The renovation introduces fresh spaces for student organizations and clubs to gather and hold activities, cultivating a more dynamic and inclusive campus community.”
The $650,000 project includes updated flooring, updated furniture, a new audio-visual system to support student activities on both the Yakima and Grandview campuses, and a new activity lounge in the HUB.
“The furniture will be more comfortable and versatile, making it easier to use for various activities,” said Chavez, who also noted that the new furnishings respond to the increasing need for students to have convenient places to plug in laptops, phones and other devices. “The portable chargers are another important tool that is helpful to students because they make it easier to have their devices charged and ready to continue learning.”
A new student activity room supports a variety of student activities with video games, pool, ping pong and board games. Given the flexible nature of the furnishings, the activity lounge will also be a place that can host movie screenings, presentations and a variety of other events once a new digital display is installed along the south wall of the lounge.
Still to come in spring quarter and over the summer will be the installation of a new audio-visual system. That system will include new digital displays throughout the HUB, upgrades to the building’s sound system to provide multiple zones that can be used independently, and new cameras and microphones in both the MLK Room and the Grandview Student Council office that will better support student meetings and other events taking place simultaneously on both campuses.
Ultimately, Chavez believes all of the upgrades will significantly boost student programming for years to come and make it easier for students on both the Grandview and Yakima campuses to engage in activities together.
“This presents a great opportunity to constructively enhance students’ learning experiences,” she said. “The HUB refurbishment project will set a new standard for student life at YVC, enhancing the institution’s reputation as an exceptional place for learning and personal development.”
Originally constructed in 1957, the Hopf Union Building was named in memory of Herman ‘Bimn’ Hopf. Hopf served YVC in various roles from the early 1930s until the late 1960s. The building has undergone several renovations over the years, the most recent having been completed in 2000 when an enhanced dining hall and offices were added.
For more information contact Student Life Manager Karla Rabadan at krabadan@yvcc.edu.
Press Release Contacts:
Dustin Wunderlich / 509.574.6870 / dwunderlich@yvcc.edu
Stefanie Menard / 509.574.4646 / smenard@yvcc.edu