Common Grounds, 91¶ÌÊÓƵ’s on-campus coffee shop, has a proud tradition of being student-led and operated. This year’s leadership team endeavored to maintain that independence by making huge adaptations for the pandemic.

“We faced a challenge with seeing how Common Grounds fit onto 91¶ÌÊÓƵ’s campus,” said Sarah Rittenhouse, the shop’s marketing and events manager and a junior elementary education major. They prided themselves on offering “a space where people can come, especially commuters … during the middle of the day.” But could they still offer that safely?

It took the team two weeks at the beginning of the fall semester to adapt their physical space. General Manager Lauren Hartzler, a senior business administration and marketing major, said that included removing some seating, adding signage, installing a plexiglass shield around the coffee counter, and increasing cleaning. They’ve also had to drop popular group events, like Tuesday Trivia, that used to pack out the shop with caffeine-giddy students.

“We really needed that time to get all the new baristas on the same page,” Hartzler said. They hired 10 new student employees at the beginning of the semester to fill out the ranks of their 23-person staff.

Their very first customer this semester was Jonathan Swartz, director of residence life, student accountability, and restorative justice, ordering his usual drip coffee with half and half, hold the sugar. He visits Common Grounds two or three times a week, and not just for the coffee. 

“Really it’s also to see who’s around and have any quick conversations that I haven’t gotten the chance to have at other times,” Swartz said. “This has been especially important this COVID semester since the other opportunities to connect in person have been somewhat limited. Common Grounds has done an amazing job adjusting to new protocols and procedures for keeping a campus coffee shop running and keeping our veins coursing with caffeine.”

At first, they only offered carry-out items, which Financial Manager Ethan Beiler, a senior mechanical engineering major, said dealt a major blow to their revenue. The shop only brought in $2,400 for the month of September, but thankfully, “it’s climbed … up to $4,600 for October.”

A big part of that increase is that patrons can now eat and sip in the shop provided they stay socially distanced. 

“I think one of our biggest assets is our physical space. People love to come in and study and have a drink,” Hartzler said.

Sophomore history and political science major Shannon Cooper agrees. She visits the shop “literally every day” to do homework and sip on an iced coffee or Sweet Africa tea steamer. 

“My favorite thing about Common Grounds is their homey-vibe environment. They have nice mood lighting, the wonderful smell of coffee, and comfy seating that I bounce between through the night,” Cooper said. “They’ve adapted so well, and I think they’re especially great at being cautious of when people leave so they can clean the tables, disinfecting the pens after every use, and ensuring that people are maintaining social distancing rules.”

Another contributor to their rebounding revenue is the that Beiler built, which allows students, faculty, and staff to order Common Grounds drinks and snacks on Mondays from 8 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Baristas walk or bike the orders to the appropriate building, leave the ordered items in a designated crate by the door, and text the customer to let them know their milkshake, latte, bagel, or tea steamer has arrived. 

Don’t forget that, besides overhauling the shop’s operations, these four have had to navigate major shifts in their entire college experience – attending a variety of class formats and living, studying, working, and eating with constant caution.

“We just want to stay open and do this COVID thing well,” said Products Manager Emma Pirrung, a senior elementary education major. For them, doing it well means preserving their cornerstone of student sovereignty. And it appears that they’re succeeding.

“Now we’ve finally hit a cruise level,” Hartzler said. “I think that is our biggest accomplishment.”

Facilities that comprise “Phase II” of the University Commons building at 91¶ÌÊÓƵ were dedicated in a brief, upbeat ceremony held in the renovated MainStage Theater at the south end of the Commons.

In addition to the 200-seat theater, the new or re-purposed space includes the Lee Eshleman Studio Theater, the Margaret Martin Gehman Art Gallery, the Kenneth A. Longacre, Sr., Advanced Media Lab and the expanded and upgraded Common Grounds Coffeehouse.

“We dedicate a place to remind ourselves that space shapes us,” said Nancy Heisey, 91¶ÌÊÓƵ vice president and undergraduate academic dean. “We dedicate this space to set it apart, to name our intentions for it, to say why it is particular, and why all the care, planning and construction that went into this place were done in a specific way.”

“When we look around this space, we see something different – reused and renewed space, simple space, space for action and vision, space that is like the forms of human expression and creativity that are essential to our full humanity, the expression and creativity that a liberal arts environment is designed to grow, a space where students, faculty and guests will be invited to dig more deeply into the ideas of others, into ourselves, and into our questions and vocations with all the creative gifts God has given us,” Dr. Heisey told the attendees.

The audience joined in a litany led by Andy Dula, chair of the 91¶ÌÊÓƵ board of trustees and Student Government Co-Presidents Michael Spory and Ben Bergey. The litany, written by Jay B. Landis, professor emeritus of English, called on God to bless the facilities with the aim “to fulfill the university mission of preparing its students with academic strength and faithful commitment to Christian discipleship, service and peacemaking.”

The ceremony closed with the singing of No. 118 in the Brethren-Mennonite Hymnal, “Praise God from whom.”

Following the program, 91¶ÌÊÓƵ staff led tours on a rotating basis of the Phase II facilities. Each stop included reflections on how each space will benefit students and the larger community.

Dr. Gehman, 88, professor emerita of art at 91¶ÌÊÓƵ, was present for the ceremonies and reflected on the gallery named in her honor.

“It’s good to see this space used for the arts and to meet former students who are now in leadership worldwide,” Gehman said. She noted that the gallery occupies the same space where she taught physical education classes in the old gymnasium many years ago.

The late Lee Eshleman, for whom the “black box” studio theater is named, is a 1986 art graduate of 91¶ÌÊÓƵ. He was an acting-writer creative partner with Ted Swartz of Harrisonburg as half of the performing duo Ted & Lee for 20 years.

The new advanced media lab, named in memory of the late businessman Kenneth A. Longacre, Sr., of Franconia, Pa., will allow classes to expand from nine to 15 students in each class. The computer pods are set up to encourage collaborative work and enable the critique process.

Kirk L. Shisler, vice president for advancement, said the completion of the $2.5 million project “couldn’t have happened without the strong financial and prayer support of many alumni and friends of the university in the midst of a struggling economy.

“We now have facilities that are as vital and vibrant as the already excellent programs offered in visual arts and communication and theater,” Shisler said. “This is a quantum leap forward for students and the larger community.”

Two 91¶ÌÊÓƵ student organizations are co-sponsoring an event meant to challenge the 91¶ÌÊÓƵ and larger community with the issue of economic justice in Israel-Palestine.

J. Daryl and Cindy Byler, Mennonite Central Committee Middle East representatives for Palestine, Jordan, Iraq, and Iran, will speak 8 p.m. Thursday, Mar. 19, in the Common Grounds Coffeehouse in the University Commons.

The couple will focus on facts on the ground following the Israeli offense on Gaza and the larger Israeli occupation, draw connections between U.S. policy and present the need for a morally responsible investment/divestment campaign.

The Bylers will also speak at a forum 3:45-5:15 p.m. Thursday, Mar. 19, in the Strite Conference Room of 91¶ÌÊÓƵ’s Campus Center. They will reflect on MCC’s approach and activities in interfaith bridgebuilding and the challenges they encounter in their work.

Daryl Byler, a 1979 91¶ÌÊÓƵ graduate, is an attorney and former director of MCC’s Washington, D.C., office. He was named 91¶ÌÊÓƵ’s “alumnus of the year” in 1992.

The 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Peace Fellowship and Res Judicata student pre-law group are co-sponsoring Wednesday’s program. Thursday’s forum is co-sponsored by the Anabaptist Center for Religion and Society (ACRS) and the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding (CJP).

Admission is free to both events.