The HUB—A place where students can eat, socialize, study and buy groceries. 

It doesn’t exist yet, but by this time next year everyone on ULM’s campus will be able to enjoy it. 

Construction of the HUB began in July and is expected to be completed by Fall 2022. 

According to Tommy Walpole, executive director of Auxiliary Enterprises, discussions about the HUB began in 2019 but had to be postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The new building will include five food vendors: Starbucks, Subway, Flip Kitchen, Bento Sushi and Chick-fil-A. 

There will also be a small market with groceries. 

Amenities will include Wi-Fi, charging outlets and seating for more than 600 people.

President Ronald Berry said that for students, having a place like the HUB is “an important part of the college experience.”

“When I was a student here, we discussed classes and assignments at the SUB,” Berry said. “A lot of collaboration goes on over dinner.”

The HUB is a collaborative project between ULM and Aramark, which provides food services at ULM. Aramark will invest $6 million in the $11.6 million project. 

The rest will come from student facilities fees.

Once the HUB is open, the SUB will remain open and Aramark will continue to operate a kitchen there as well.

SGA President Lauren Fee said the HUB is the exciting beginning to a new chapter of ULM’s history.

“Our students deserve nothing but the best, and I have no doubt that this is exactly what the HUB will be,” Fee said.