Clayton University Center at Packer Hall
More than just a building, the Clayton University Center at Packer Hall is the heart of the Lehigh campus. With this renovation, the Clayton University Center not only will be restored to its original grandeur, but also reinvented into a vibrant, continually active space that fosters collaboration and community among students. It will equip them with the skills to navigate and lead in today’s diverse society.
The Clayton University Center renovation will help create a richer and more vibrant Lehigh community by providing:
- Updated facilities and amenities. The renovation will provide newer, more modern, and more efficient facilities for today’s students. Enhancements include fresh dining spaces, additional recreational and work spaces, and amenities such as a convenience store and a pub.
- A true hub for student life. From dedicated meeting rooms for student clubs to refreshed offices for student life and services, students, faculty, and staff will collaborate under one roof – together – for the first time.
- Welcoming spaces to encourage growth and strengthen ties. As a central location where students will want to spend time, the Clayton University Center will foster opportunities for students to develop leadership skills, form lifelong bonds, and create their own home on campus.
- Stronger Lehigh traditions. When you bring people together, you can unify them around shared experiences and common aspirations, strengthening culture and traditions. The new spaces in the Clayton University Center will allow students to more regularly gather for celebrations, concerts, dances, meetings, and more.
In This Image: With the Clayton University Center renovation, the iconic building will not only be restored to its original grandeur but will also be reinvented to support our active, collaborative, vibrant campus life.
In This Image: Alumna and Board of Trustees member Mary Beth Tully '84 '21P '21P speaks about her decision to support the Clayton University Center renovation project by funding the welcome desk.
In This Image: Joe Kertsmar ’15, Langan Engineering and Environmental Services, tours the Clayton University Center construction site with civil engineering students.
In This Image: Scheduled for completion in fall 2025, the renovation of the Clayton University Center promises to honor the building's rich history and meet the students' contemporary needs, ensuring it remains a central part of campus life for generations to come.
What Students Are Saying
“I’m most excited for the outdoor space. The UC is such a central place on campus, but we didn’t really have any places to chill outside of it.”
Alexis Hampton ’23
“I’m really excited to have a bigger community space where all students can come hang out because right now we only have our dorm rooms.”
Lauren Lencovich ’25
“Students have really great passions and ideas and may not be sure who to connect with, so having spaces like this where you can walk in, see other people, and join different activities is going to help promote a sense of community.”
Sabrina Carroll ’18 ’25G
“We miss having a meeting space that’s comfortable for all students, where they can always come back and meet so many more diverse people that you wouldn’t have met otherwise.”
Ryan Matthiessen ’21 ’23G
“So I’m excited for the UC to actually be that student union building that most colleges have that we just never really had.”
Caroline Mierzwa ’23
The Clayton Legacy
Every student, faculty member, and staff member for the next 100 years and beyond will be impacted. That’s meaningful and in Lehigh’s best interests.
