Returning Colgate students walking through McGregory Hall this year may not recognize the sleek new space at the end of the hallway. Over the summer, the former top floor of Cooley Library was renovated into the new Center for International Programs. It now houses the Office of Off-Campus Study, the Lampert Institute and a staff member from the New York 6 consortium.

The new center is very open and modern with bright orange walls. It includes a state-of-the-art kitchen and an 84” touch-screen television.

“We hope it will be a space for students preparing to study abroad and for our international students,” Associate Dean of the Faculty for International Initiatives and Professor of Economics Nicole Simpson said.

Simpson’s position as Associate Dean of the Faculty for International Initiatives was created a year ago as part of Colgate’s Strategic Plan. This was a way to continue expanding the university’s international programs. After a year and a half of work toward this goal, the Center for International Programs will officially host its grand opening on September 21 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. It will consist of a ribbon-cutting ceremony, reception food and

other festivities.

“We’d like to get faculty, students and staff to use the space creatively. We welcome anybody to stop in.” Simpson said.

Classes and meetings can be held in the conference room, and Simpson hopes professors will utilize the kitchen area as a way to connect with students outside of the classroom. Both students and faculty will soon be able to book either space online. Furthermore, each month a celebrity chef will come to teach a lesson in the kitchen.

“Food is a big part of both Colgate and internationalization,” Simpson said.

The department is also modernizing itself. It now has a Flickr feed that students who are currently abroad can access and share photos from around the world. The 84” touch-screen TV will also have an interactive map, indicating where Colgate students are residing around the globe. The website will also include blogs and stories.

Each year Colgate students can choose from Colgate-led study groups and over 100 other approved programs. One goal of the Office of Off-Campus Study is to help match students to the right program and assist in the application process.

This spring, Colgate will host exchange students for the first time from Xiamen University in China, and eventually from Geneva and Australia, as a means of expanding its international reach.