Facilities

 
The 60,000 square-foot Powell Campus Center (built in 1994) is home to many of the activities and organizations that make student life so exciting at Alfred University.
See what's happening at AU with our online events calendar.

Hours of Operation:

During the academic year:
Monday - Thursday 8:30 A.M. - 12 A.M.
Friday 8:30 A.M. - 1 A.M.
Saturday 11 A.M. - 1 A.M.
Sunday 11 A.M. - 12 A.M.
During the summer:
8:30 A.M. - 4:30 P.M.

Where the action is:

The Knight Club

This is one of the busiest places on campus and in town. Catch a great live band or a dance sponsored by a student organization. Weekend activities vary from top-notch comics to our Coffeehouse Series featuring singer-songwriters, poets, and open-mic talent contests.

Nevins Theater

A modern theater with a surround-sound system, Nevins is a great place to catch newly-released films every Friday and Saturday, and Alternative Cinema screenings on Saturday nights. At the weekly Bergren Forum, AU faculties lecture about everything from the Grateful Dead to space exploration. Hear nationally-known speakers here as well.

The Volunteer Center

Feel good and do good. It offers lots of opportunities to volunteer. Have a fundraising idea? It'll help you make it happen. More about the Volunteer Center..

AU Bookstore

Textbooks, art supplies, software, and a big selection of AU "stuff" to wear with pride. Visit the AU Bookstore online.

Li'l Alf Café' and Powell Dining Hall

Li'l Alf offers a casual setting for lingering with friends over pizza, deli sandwiches, burgers, desserts, Freshens Smoothies, and of course, Starbucks coffee. Surf the 'Net with iMac computers! At the Powell Dining Hall, enjoy a variety of cuisines, from all-time American favorites and comfort food to trendy ethnic dishes and the latest in vegetarian cuisine. Students will tell you the food at AU is really good! Read about Dining at AU.

The Student Activities Office

Drop in on Dan and Tricia Napolitano, the husband and wife team who direct Student Activities and the Powell Campus Center, respectively. Their programs have won national awards for creativity

At AU, our students are encouraged to make fun and exciting things happen. Take a look: Student Activities Board  pick top talent for the annual Big Act Concert, including Alanis Morissette and Vanessa Carlton. Students run the green room and interact with the performers.
Writers for the student newspaper travel to a New York City journalism conference to interact with professionals.
Ski Club students organize a weekend ski trip to Killington.
Student committees initiate programs to improve campus health and safety.
Students write, direct, and star in the "Friday Night Live" campus comedy review.
Students organize and run Hot Dog Day, an event that attracts thousands to Alfred every year, and raises money for local charities.

Developing leadership qualities is one of the most important parts of college life. With the University's support, our students learn by doing : It supports creativity. Beyond joining student organizations, It encourages students to create programs and events that improve student life at AU. Our annual Student Innovation Award recognizes students who make significant contributions to the university.
It builds leadership skills. AU sponsors a student leadership conference every year, focusing on leadership and life skills before and after graduation. Workshops held throughout the year reinforce those skills.
It honor our leaders. Alfred University hosts a local chapter of Omicron Delta Kappa, the national leadership society. Members are selected based on academic achievement and community involvement. ODK's "Student Leader Hall of Fame" pays tribute to alumni who have left a lasting impression on Alfred University through their undergraduate leadership.

You don't have to be a Performing Arts major or minor to act, sing and dance at AU.
All students, regardless of academic major, are openly encouraged to participate in all productions and performance groups.

It's not uncommon, for example, for ceramic engineering majors to play violin in the university orchestra or trumpet in the jazz band, for a communication studies major to have the lead in a Shakespeare drama, or for business students to dance with a New York City choreographer-in-residence.

Of course, if performing arts are your passion, it has an outstanding academic program. The Division of Performing Arts offers a major in Theatre and minors in Theatre, Dance and Music. Students are encouraged to participate in all disciplines, gaining exciting and valuable performance experiences in a wide variety of areas.

It is fortunate to have a marvelous facility as the focal point of many productions: the Miller Performing Arts Center. Dedicated in 1995, it features the C.D. Smith Flexible Theatre, an extremely versatile intimate, experimental theatre with some of the finest sound and lighting equipment in the country. Outstanding rehearsal spaces, individual practice rooms, studios, and areas for study and collaboration, offer spectacular views and spaciousness for students and faculty alike.

If you'd rather watch and listen, in addition to the university's own production and performance groups, endowed performing arts funding brings renowned guest performers, lecturers and performance ensembles to Alfred University every year.

Every weekend is a busy weekend at AU, but it pull out all the stops for our favorite events.

Fall Family Weekend
Come to Alfred in the Fall, when the air is crisp and the leaves offer a dazzling last burst of beauty. There are activities designed to appeal to all members of the family, including performances by students and faculty, the Terra Cotta Community Day in the village, sporting events and more.

Homecoming
AU Alumni come home to catch up with old friends and create new memories. The weekend highlights include a home football game and lots of entertainment.

Siblings Weekend
Students are encouraged to invite their siblings to Alfred in November for a fun weekend of wholesome entertainment. Performers have included hypnotists and acrobats, and there's always a family movie.

Spring Family Weekend
This April weekend is designed to showcase the talents and achievements of our students, and to provide helpful information for parents. The highlight of the weekend is Honors Convocation.

Hot Dog Day
For more than 30 years, Hot Dog Day in April remains Alfred's biggest tradition. The street carnival features games, arts and crafts booths, live music, mud volleyball and of course, lots of hot dogs. The event raises thousands of dollars for local charities - thank you, returning alumni and visiting families!

The Alfie Awards
Known as the classiest night in town, the spring Alfie Awards are AU's version of the Academy Awards. Students are awarded "Alfies" based on outstanding contributions to campus life. The dress ranges from extremely formal to extremely outrageous.

The Large Act Concert
Past acts have included:

The Ravonettes
Vanessa Carlton
Bare Naked Ladies
Alanis Morrissette
Adam Sandler

The Alfred community and its surrounding area offer a wide range of spiritual opportunities for Alfred University students. Religious communities in the village and beyond welcome student participation and many religious groups offer on-campus activities and programs specifically designed for University students.
If you are seeking intellectual investigation, the University offers courses in comparative religion and philosophy of religion as well as a minor in Religious Studies. If you wish to discover meaningful ways of helping others during your years at Alfred, the University Volunteer Center can direct you to service projects and help you make connections with local volunteer organizations.

Whether you desire fellowship, discussion, philosophical exploration, worship, or service opportunities, the Alfred area can provide you with a wealth of possibilities for your spiritual life

At Alfred University, looking out for each other is a way of life. It's part of our small town ethic, and our commitment to a living/learning environment. Students, faculty and staff often work together in community service projects: Building the community playground
Serving on the Volunteer Fire Department
Organizing clothing and toy drives
Tutoring in local schools
Visiting area nursing homes
Running carnival booths for the Hot Dog Day fundraiser

It believes community service is a vital part of student development, and it encourages our students to find ways to volunteer. The Volunteer Service Center acts as a resource for any student, faculty, staff or administrator. It sponsors volunteer days, student trips, and other opportunities to perform community service. Students can volunteer on a regular basis or just once in a while.

Our "Service on the Sevens" program allows students the chance to reach out to those in need on the seventh of every month with a different campus-wide project. Their work benefits local agencies and national organizations such as the United Cerebral Palsy Association and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.