The Dow Center, completed in 1978, is an activity-oriented facility. Classes, sports teams and individual students make use of the building’s gymnasium, dance studios, two-story conditioning area, indoor track, racquetball courts and swimming pool.

The Department of Dance is located in the Dow Center. There are four dance studios available for ballet, modern, folk-social, jazz and swing dance. 

While the Dow Center charges membership fees for community members, Hope College students can access the facility for free. Also available to students is the Health Center, which is located on the first floor of the building.

Fun facts

• Dance Marathon, an annual event raising money for the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, is held in the gymnasium.
• The Hope swimming and diving teams practice and compete in the swimming pool and diving well. Spectators can watch from the second floor bleachers.