The new Campus Ministries house opened in the fall of 2019, providing an inviting space in the most central campus location possible, along the former 12th Street between the Jim and Martie Bultman Student Center and Wyckoff Hall.

The new center succeeded the Keppel House on 10th Street, a stately former private residence which had housed the program since 1994 but became outgrown as Campus Ministries programming and student interest have expanded. 

Designed to complement the surrounding campus architecture, the new building includes a balcony and covered porch facing Van Raalte Commons and the Pine Grove. Within, the facility includes small and large gathering spaces, a commons area, a library that can also be used for meetings, a prayer alcove and office space sufficient for a staff that is currently spread among other locations.

“Space communicates what we value,” Johnson said. “At the center of campus we’re putting a building that’s dedicated to Christian formation and faith.”

“The strategic location at the heart of the campus will provide a more central location to serve students,” he said. “We also envision new partnerships with Western Theological Seminary and the college’s Student Development Office, both of which will be just steps away.”