Article and Photos By: Ethan Cottrill and Owen Guy
As promised, the new Dining Hall opened its doors at the start of the 2025–26 school year, bringing all divisions under one roof for meals. The new construction project, titled “Fueling Minds, Igniting Innovation Campaign”, has two phases. The first phase is the 1st floor Dining Hall, with the second phase being the Upper School Student Union, also known as the Reddy Student Union.
If construction progresses on schedule, by the end of October, the now closed-off area past the Dining Hall, which will be called the Dining Atrium, should be open once the windows are sealed. This area will feature more seating for lunch alongside tall glass windows and the eventual Student Union elevator. The upstairs Student Union should be completed at the latest by the end of the Immersion term in January, with the elevator sometime later.
Ram Report has been following this story for some time now, working to find the origins of the project. As stated in a previous edition, this idea was rooted in the Aries Project of now alumna Alexis McNutt. She, in the effort to try to create a better study space for herself, created the initial design that would develop into the Dining Hall & Student Union. Her original design looked somewhat similar to what we have now.
On the bottom floor, we have our eating area. Alexis’s design featured more open seating, comparable to the old Truslow Commons, with multiple sets of stairs that opened onto a top floor that served as a quiet space. What was built is something a little more jam-packed with facilities. The bottom floor maximizes seating, making sure everyone has a place to sit. The new design replaces one set of stairs for an elevator. Just like the downstairs Dining Hall, the ceiling upstairs is quite close. This gives the slight sense of a lack of space, however it is more space efficient and reduces the complexity of obtaining permits to build upwards, which might have been an obstacle due to local regulations. While it is not known for certain, there is a chance the upstairs Student Union will only feature cubbies instead of lockers.
Head of School David Long in the Fabrication Lab
Student Union Entrance plus Study Pods
Design Lab Interior
Outside of Design Lab
College Counseling Corner
Future Lockers / Cubbies wall
Future Elevator Shaft
In addition to these, there are the beginnings of the Fabrication Lab, counseling spaces, and booths for students to study and relax with friends. Learning Lab will get a brand new Learning Support Suite, which is a wonderful improvement from the previous space in the Middle School Commons. The Design Lab will have facilities for 3D Printing, CNC, VR, AI, and more. The Fabrication Lab, which features a dedicated wood chip disposal chute, might potentially bring back MVS’s Woodworking elective. The College Counseling Corner will be the space for all college visits, and will be decorated with various college memorabilia to create a unique environment that is specifically dedicated for anything college related.
The current funding goal for the total project is set at $8.5 million dollars, with $6.7 million already pledged. Around $3 million of this has already been donated, which has helped MVS fund the construction without taking out loans. The money already pledged is enough to entirely cover the construction costs, with the rest going towards endowment funds which can ensure that long-term projects like the new food service can continue on indefinitely.
It should also be mentioned the work that MVS’s amazing facilities and maintenance team has put in behind the scenes to help this project become reality, and continuing to make sure it runs smoothly. Thus far, feedback for the Dining Hall has been very positive, with people remarking the upped quality of food and sitting spaces. The small beginning hiccups, like the long lines, are starting to get better as FISK gets into the groove of what to expect, and our community has been great in working with them.
