Serves as a central gathering space for worship, reflection, and spiritual events at McMurry University, supporting the religious and spiritual life of the campus community through services, ceremonies, and special programs.
History
The Shirley L. & Mildred Garrison United Methodist Campus Center
Completed in the fall of 1979, the Campus Center is a $22 million structure located in the center of McMurry’s campus. The Campus Center is a partially underground structure with grassy slopes rising around its walls. This structure is used for a wide variety of activities. Weekly campus worship services are held in its chapel, dances are held in its huge ballroom, and students’ free time may be spent in the snack bar and game room. The Campus Center was renovated in 2001 to include new carpet in the ballroom, new furniture, and carpeting in the Windjammer’s lounge. In the spring of 2024, the $25 million-plus expansion of the Garrison Campus Center was completed. The expansion added a second floor, increasing the square footage from 39,000 to 58,000.
The Campus Center, both as a building and a concept, supports and enhances the university’s educational mission by extending classroom learning into the broader realm of human experience.
What's in the Campus Center?
Carleton Chapel
Community Area & Kitchenette
Esports Center
Event Services
Fitness & Wellness Center
Mabee Room
Post Office and Print Shop
President’s Board Room
Religious and Spiritual Life
Residential Life
Spirit Store
Student Affairs
Student Leadership Suite
The Brew
The Grille
War Hawk Success Center
A base for students who live off campus or take evening classes to heat a meal, catch the news, or recharge.
A new campus home for McMurry’s competitive esports team, the Esports Center will also be used to support academic programs.
Campus Event Services supports the planning and execution of campus events by coordinating space reservations, logistics, and event resources to ensure successful and well-organized programs for the McMurry University community.
With both exercise equipment and a multipurpose studio, this 5,000-square-foot center will be McMurry’s first comprehensive fitness and wellness facility.
The Mabee Room is a versatile event space located on the McMurry University campus, used for meetings, receptions, and special events, providing a professional setting for university and community gatherings.
The University Post Office and Print Shop provides mailing services, package handling, and printing support for students, faculty, and staff, helping the campus community manage correspondence and document needs efficiently.
The President’s Board Room is a formal meeting space designed for executive leadership discussions, board meetings, and high-level University gatherings, offering a professional and confidential setting on campus.
Religious and Spiritual Life at McMurry University supports students’ faith development and spiritual well-being through worship opportunities, spiritual guidance, service activities, and inclusive programming that encourages reflection, community, and personal growth.
Religious and Spiritual Life
Residential Life at McMurry University creates supportive living-learning communities that promote student engagement, personal growth, and academic success through safe housing, intentional programming, and meaningful campus connections.
Residence Life: Housing and Dining
The Spirit Store offers official McMurry University apparel, gifts, and campus merchandise, enabling students, families, alums, and supporters to showcase War Hawk pride year-round.
Online Store
Student Affairs supports student success and well-being through programs, services, and resources that promote engagement, leadership, and personal development. The division includes the Dean of Students and Assistant Dean of Students and oversees essential services such as student ID card issuance and support.
The Student Leadership Suite is designed to support student government and leadership development, providing dedicated space for student organizations, clubs, interest groups, and leadership programs, including McMurry Student Government (MSG) and Campus Activities Board (CAB).
McMurry Student Government
Campus Activity Board
The Brew is a campus coffee and snack spot offering beverages, light food options, and a comfortable space for students to study, meet, and recharge between classes.
The Grille offers a casual dining option on campus, serving a variety of made-to-order meals and grab-and-go favorites in a relaxed, student-friendly setting.
The War Hawk Success Center centralizes key student support services, including first-year programming, test preparation, academic advising, and career development. The Center also houses initiatives such as the Center for Experiential Learning and Careers (CELC), Mindset for Success, and Success Coaches, all of which are designed to promote academic achievement and long-term success.
War Hawk Success Center
Campus Center Renovation
Demo of the Post Office and Sports Grill.
Old book store / Spirit store demoed.
Mabee Room demo.
Demo of the Presidents Dinning Room.
Housing and Spiritual Life offices demoed.
Mabee room looking out into the courtyard.
Inside the Nest demo.
Cutting the floor for new plumbing installation.
Cuts in the floor.
Pouring new walls.
New addition for storing event equipment.
New footings being installed to support second floor.
Filling in the old courtyard.
Inside view of courtyard being filled.
Preparations for more filling.
Preparations for more filling.
More areas filled.
More areas filled.
Forms are being built for the pouring of the new loading dock for the Campus Center and Dining Hall.
Courtyard cement pouring finished.
This will be one of the new entrances that will pass by the new Sprit Store.
New plumbing for the kitchen in the Food Court.
Future Wellness Center
New Elevator
Future ESport Room
Future Food Court
Grease Trap Installation
Student Leadership Offices
Carlton Chapel Entrance
New addition on the Northeast side that will be chair and table storage.
Campus Center Steel has started arriving. We should start seeing things go up soon.
Pouring concrete for the Northwest entrance.
Electrical units are starting to be added to the Mechanical Room
Loading Dock concrete pouring
Loading Dock concrete pouring
Steel began to rise today.
Steel began to rise today.
Steel began to rise today.
Mason contractors almost finished.
First floor almost complete.
Campus Center Bird's Eye View
Back loading dock on the west side of the building.
Beginning to hang some sheet rock on the upper parts of the walls.
Middle of the Campus Center
Tile on the wall of the restrooms.
Wellness Center Multipurpose Room
Post Office/Print Shop windows
Entrance to ESport
Northwest Entrance into the Student Center
Ceiling of the middle section
Ceiling of the middle section with the stairway ready to be installed.
Contractors are installing the stairs to the second floor of the Student Center
Scaffolding in the dance hall going up.
Scaffolding in the dance hall going up.
Campus Center Entrance
President Dining Room on the second floor, above the main entrance.
Northwest Entrance by the Dining Hall
One of the Restrooms
ESports
Post Office and Print Shop
The Nest
Mabee Room, which was one room, will now be able to be divided into four separate rooms.
Central Gathering area facing west
Central Gathering area facing East
Commuters Kitchen
Mabee room kitchen with a new walk in cooler.
Main Gathering area.
Main Gathering area.
Fire Suppression pumps located in Mabee Dining Kitchen
Post Office cabinets getting installed.
Elevator installation.
This is the central gathering space. You will see the McM as you come in the front doors.
This is the elevator that was installed last week. They are closing-in the outside of it.
New sidewalks along the north side of the building and the northwest entrance.
New sidewalks along the north side of the building and the northwest entrance.
Counters, sinks and faucets are being installed in the bathrooms.
Staging area in Meeting room #1 and #2.
Student Affairs Suite Meeting room doors have been installed. Note they will be sliding doors instead of swinging doors.
Success Coaches office suite.
Four meeting rooms on the second floor.
Area for commuters to bring their lunch.
Food court tile installation.
Starbucks back wall.
Ceiling tile and lighting being installed in the Nest.
CAB offices getting ceiling tile, lights, and cabinets installed.
Sound Panels are being installed.
Flooring is starting to be installed in the hallway by the Fitness Center and restrooms.
Front Entrance is starting to take shape.
Gathering area, this picture is taken from the second floor looking down on to the central gathering area.
Food Court tile is currently being installed.
Floor tile installation.
Second floor carpet has all been installed.
Front entrance: This is a 3000 lbs. granite logo.
Kitchen equipment is on site and getting installed.
The new carpet has been installed in the President’s Board Room.
Student Success Center carpet has been installed.
Ceiling tiles have been installed along with lighting in the Nest.
The lighting and carpet has been installed in Carleton Chapel.
When the food court and Starbucks are closed these will be the panels that you will see.
Backyard sidewalk getting poured.
Backyard sidewalk getting poured.
Counters have been installed along with the kitchen equipment in the food court.
Installation of Starbucks counters is complete.
We had a lot of furniture delivered last week, and it’s being stored in the Student Gathering area.
Booth seating on the second floor.
Reception area for Student Affairs and Spiritual Life.
This will be MSG’s office space.
Spirit Store entrance, you can see how the front doors will be able to open.
Fitness Center equipment getting installed.
Fitness Center equipment getting installed.
Fitness Center equipment getting installed.
Fitness Center equipment getting installed.
Food court grills and service area.
New lighting getting installed in the entrance.
Student Success and Student Affairs sliding office doors.
Student Success and Student Affairs sliding office doors.
Main gathering area seating installation.
Main gathering area seating installation.
Starbucks service area.
The foundation and sidewalks have been poured on the west side of Mabee Dining for the outdoor trellis.
Graphics on the second floor wall outside the upstairs kitchen.
Mabee room lights have been installed. Ceiling tiles will be completed soon.
The package lockers for the Post Office have been installed and wrapped.
Another set of package lockers.
Graphics outside the Spirit Store.
The mill work is completed on the central gathering and it will be varnished next week.
IT is in the process of running miles and miles of data wires.
Office of MSG
The Backyard trellis is on site and will be installed after the first of the year.
The trellis installation has started.
Installation of the blinds for the second floor.
Carpet in the central gathering area is complete.
Housing directors area.
Stage installation is complete. The new stage can be folded out as needed.
More office furniture is getting installed.
Reception area in front of the Student Affairs and RSL suites.
Second floor furniture.
Central gathering area.
Esports
Fitness & Wellness Center
Mabee room
Nest
North Entry
Stairs
Main Entry
Front of campus center
The Backyard Trellis is complete and furniture installed. It has seating for 52 along with tables. As you look at the picture the shade portion can be either open or closed. There is also lighting for night time events.
