Story By: Grace Benson ’26
Most Central College students live on campus for the entirety of their college experiences. Making campus my home has taught me how to embrace the people around me and create my own community.
In the three years I’ve been at Central, I’ve had the privilege of living in three different residence halls: Scholte Hall, McKee Hall and most recently, a townhouse. My experiences in each one taught me lessons that I wouldn’t have learned living off campus. In fact, I’ve found that each residence hall has taught me valuable lessons that sound a lot like Central’s promise statement:
WE WELCOME WITH
OPEN ARMS.
WE FUEL
OPEN MINDS.
WE HELP
OPEN DOORS.
THAT’S THE CENTRAL WAY.
Open Arms: Vance Townhouse
As a junior, I live in Vance, a townhouse next to A.N. Kuyper Athletics Complex. Living in a townhouse teaches my roommate and I not only how to share space with others but also how to do life with those around us. The girls who live on our floor have become some of our closest friends. We like to make meals and play games together — we even tried out pickleball for the first time with each other! We look forward to opening our arms to more new friends this year by inviting others into the community we share. I hope I continue to carry this lesson into life beyond Central by approaching new relationships with intentionality.
Each Friday night, my friends Grace Coates ’25, Morgan Peterson ’26 and I travel from our floor in Vance Townhouse to visit Esther Belzer ’26 at her apartment off-campus and make supper with her.
Open Minds: McKee Hall (i.e., “The Pods”)
As a sophomore, I had the opportunity to live in McKee Hall, otherwise known as “The Pods.” Specifically, I lived in a section of McKee referred to as the “Green Pods.” The Green Pods offer some of the best living accommodations on campus, but they serve a greater purpose. To live in a Green Pod, you must complete 20 hours of community service each semester and focus on sustainable living. The task felt intimidating at first, but it opened my mind to important lessons about how to make a difference wherever I live. I learned how to become involved in my community and pursue the causes I’m most passionate about.
My podmates Baily Huizenga ’26, Morgan Peterson ’26, Esther Belzer ’26, Anna Miller ’26, Mimi Pavelka ’26 and I pose in our Green Pod on the last day of school.
Open Doors: Scholte Hall
My experience in Scholte Hall as a first-year student laid the foundation for all the lessons I learned in later years. Many first-year students call Scholte home, and they’re all looking for ways to connect with the new community around them. I met some of my closest friends by getting to know other first-year students in the Scholte hallways.
What stood out to me most during my time in Scholte was the “open-door policy” that my floor adopted. This policy encouraged us to leave our doors open as often as possible so others could always stop in and hang out. The open-door policy paved the way for the close-knit community that developed on our floor and taught me the value of simply opening my door to others. Opening our doors to others opens our minds to new perspectives and our arms to bigger circles. I’m thankful that Scholte taught me what living an open-door life looks like.
My friend Keilah Brewer ’26 and I got to know each other by hanging out in our rooms in Scholte and going on adventures together like catching the sunset at Lake Red Rock.
The Central Way
Living on campus continues to teach me how to embrace the people around me every day. I wouldn’t trade the lessons I’ve learned from my residence halls for anything and hope you find a similar experience. After all, community is the Central way.
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About the Author
Hello! My name is Grace Benson ’26, and I am from Newton, Iowa. I am an English major with minors in Spanish and religious studies. I am also a member of the women’s triathlon team and participate in FCA. On campus, I have worked as an office assistant to the associate academic dean and currently work as a writing tutor and an editorial assistant for the communications office. My dream is to attend law school after graduating from Central.
In my free time, I love visiting coffee shops, thrifting and working out with my friends. I enjoy long walks at Lake Red Rock and catching as many sunsets as I can. Central is my home away from home, and I hope you find your place here, too! Go Dutch!
