Rec Center and Digital Aquarium celebrates 10-year anniversary

The center first opened its doors in August 2001, boasting four racquetball courts, an aquatic center, a 35 foot climbing wall and a running track in addition to its large inventory of fitness equipment and classes. Last fiscal year, the Recreation Center had almost half a million entries into the facility, mostly by students. Of the nearly 500,000 entries, 66.5 percent were students while 32 percent were faculty or staff. The remaining 1.5 percent was outside visitors.

Even with over four million entries since the center's birth, Levin cautions that in the next few decades the Recreation Center will have to keep up with the growing student body. "We may need to look at a future expansion or renovation…if the population continues to expand," said Levin. However, he says this will be in the distant future even though it isn't too late to start planning ahead.

The Indian Creek Recreation Area and the Panthersville Recreation Complex are also a part of and managed by the Student Recreation Center. One project that Levin says will be underway before the center's next decade birthday will be a renovation of the Indian Creek Recreation Area. "This facility is worn and old, but it has phenomenal potential," he said.

In addition to the renovation, the center is planning to obtain downtown field space that will be walking distance for students.

Levin said the Student Recreation Center is a valuable asset to students and will continue to be into the next decade. "Because we are strictly recreation, we provide so many opportunities for students," he said. "To give them those opportunities is a fabulous thing." One opportunity that Levin says the Recreation Center provides is a unique, unintimidating environment to interact with faculty outside the classroom.

"You could be on a treadmill next to your professor," said Levin. Into the next decade, Levin expects the Georgia State community to continue their overwhelming support of the Recreation Center. "We've had a lot of positive exposure from day one," he said. The Digital Aquarium

The Digital Aquarium is a multimedia computer lab for Georgia State students. The lab offers equipment and software for students to create their own video, music, interactive media and websites. The lab also provides students with free rentals for digital cameras and video cameras as well as tripods, mics and lights.

For students who are not familiar with certain software, the Digital Aquarium offers different experience level course in computer software like Final Cut HD, Photoshop, InDesign, Dreamweaver, iMovie and Blender 3D Design and Animation. Bakari Omari, General Manager of the Digital Aquarium, says that the lab already has goals for the next 10 years. "Our biggest thing is increasing awareness," says Omari.

The Digital Aquarium plans the increase its awareness and marketing to students. To do this, Omari says that entails "taking on what we've established and building on that" over the next decade. Omari hopes that by increasing awareness that more students, in additional to the frequent graphic design and film majors, will utilize the Digital Aquarium. Omari says that the Digital Aquarium is a good place to start for those interested in the computer software and technology it offers. "They can do that here," he says.