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AWC students adjust to life in new DeAnza Hall

The new DeAnza residence hall opened to students at Arizona Western College this semester.

After tearing down the decades old previous building, AWC used a revenue bond of $35 million dollars to improve living conditions for students in a new space.

Though it’s kept its old name, DeAnza Hall has many new amenities like a communal kitchen, a terrace and even a theater room.

So far, they like the new space.

“I really like living in the new dorms it’s better than where I used to live before,” says
Arleen Magallanes, 20, a returning AWC dorm resident.

“We have a new gym though it’s not ready, what I really like is my dorm which is bigger and that we have our own bathroom.”

Magallanes has lived in other dorms on the AWC campus, but she says the new DeAnza is the nicest. She lived in Garces last year, one of three dorms built almost immediately after the college was built in the early 60s.

“Garces was small, but it was cool because you could hang out with friends, in DeAnza it’s a lot different, everyone lives their own lives,” says Magallanes.

Erick Villavicenio is a radiology student at AWC. He says the new DeAnza dorm is better than other dorms he lived in, but he misses a more intimate space.

“It’s a lot more spread out, so I do have times where I feel more alone then a did in Garces,” he says, referring to the more spread-out design of the new hall.

Students said the three-story building lacks common spaces on each floor and only floor one has a kitchen. But AWC officials say they have plans to bring the students together in the spaces they do have are working on more.

Senior Resident Assistant, Jasmine Montiel says there are more dorm activities coming in the months ahead.

“We are doing little programs so that residents don't feel left out and can make new friends,” Montiel says.

Planned events include ice cream socials, movie nights, and arts and crafts activities.

Overall, students seem to be enjoying the improved living conditions of the new building.

Cindy Zavala, the director of housing and residence life at AWC shares that student feedback has been good.

“It’s been all positive feedback," she says, "they really do enjoy Deanza and the new spaces, they have been mostly using the multi-purpose room and the terrace, but they do say it feels like a second home.”

Minor work continues on the building to finish up some projects, including the gym and theatre room.

DeAnza currently houses 138 students but has the capacity to house 150.

KAWC Student Newsroom Reporter
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