Foster Quad’s Hoosier Den wins interior design award

Flat screen TVs, two pool tables, a pingpong table and different game machines greet those who enter Foster Quad’s Hoosier Den.\nThe contemporary space, which opened last winter, recently took second place in a national design competition sponsored by the Association of University Interior Designers. \nMolly O’Donnell, a Residential Programs and Services interior designer who designed the space, said she’s proud of the award and the design concept. \n“I wanted to create a space for the students to be entertained and enjoy spending their late night hours here on campus,” she said. “So I asked a lot of the students themselves as to what they wanted for the Hoosier Den.” \nThe Hoosier Den first opened in February and was formerly part of the Foster food court. Since then, O’Donnell said RPS decided the food court was too large and needed to be adjusted since students weren’t using the entire space.\nMeg Palm, the Hoosier Den’s manager, said RPS Executive Director Pat Connor came up with the idea to transform the “leftover” space into an open spot where IU students could have fun and enjoy numerous programs. \nThe Hoosier Den was announced and advertised through Facebook and newspaper advertisements. Fliers are also placed in all the mailboxes of the IU residence halls every month to invite more students to the space. \nAbout 100 to 180 people visit the Hoosier Den on week nights, and up to 300 people attend when programs are held. \nThe “den” also hosts karaoke nights, and the stand-up group Comedy Caravan performs in the space. Palm said the “Kelvin Sampson Radio Show” will also broadcast from the “den” every week once the basketball season starts. \nBesides the various entertainment facilities, O’Donnell said security cameras were added to the inside and outside of the space for safety purposes.\n“I’m a parent myself so I wanted to make sure that the Hoosier Den was a safe place for students to hang out,” O’Donnell said.\nThe Hoosier Den is open to all IU students, including those who do not live in the residence halls. \n“We are trying really hard to accommodate more programs and events so all the students will come out here and enjoy it,” Palm said. “Any student is welcome to use the facilities we have here, and that is the reason why we made the Hoosier Den.”