Building Community

By Matt Thomas ’00

If you have visited Gustavus Adolphus College in the past year you have probably noticed a change to the college’s landscape. This change has nothing to do with the new football stadium or the beautiful floral arrangements that grace the campus every summer and fall. This change involves the 16 new Adirondack chairs that have quickly become a part of the Gustavus community.

The chairs were built from scratch by members of the Gustavus community as part of health and exercise science professor Aaron Banks’ First Term Seminar (FTS) class titled “Leisure Quest.”

After attending a 2006 summer workshop sponsored by the Center for Vocational Reflection on Gustavus becoming a mentoring community, Banks conceived the idea of a project intended to help build community on campus.

Aware that years ago Adirondack chairs were a part of the campus landscape, Banks saw the opportunity to bring them back. Banks was inspired to include a service-project component to his FTS that would create a place outdoors where people could linger, and in doing so, have conversations.

In the fall of 2006, Gustavus students, faculty, and staff worked together to build eight Adirondack chairs. A majority of those chairs were placed on Eckman Mall outside of the C. Charles Jackson Campus Center—a popular place to socialize.

In order to distribute Adirondack chairs more widely across campus, Banks organized a larger effort in Sept. 2007, when about 90 volunteers built 16 additional chairs. The chairs can now be found in multiple locations on campus including the south mall and the hill in front of Old Main.

While the finished products have helped to build community on campus, the building of the chairs itself helped accomplished the same goal.

“The idea was to give first-year students an opportunity to meet other like-minded people on campus,” Banks said. “They were also introduced to faculty and staff so it’s really about trying to develop relationships outside of the classroom.”

According to students involved in the project, relationships have been made and a sense of pride has been established.

“To see so many students enjoying these chairs we built is unbelievable,” sophomore Chelsey Cook said. “Our work is now part of the Gustavus campus and will hopefully remain there for years to come.”

Banks plans on teaching “Leisure Quest” again next year and expects to build 16 more chairs at that time. Because the chairs cost about $200 apiece to make, the college counts on donations to help make the project possible. Banks said that funding for the chairs has come from the Center for Vocational Reflection and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.

Banks said he will continue the chair-building service project as long as there is a need for them on campus, thereby ensuring a place for future Gusties to interact with one another.

“The chairs are a symbol for us,” Banks said. “A reminder that we need to slow down, take a deep breath, enjoy the day, and reflect on life and what is good.”

Aaron Banks teaches classes at Gustavus in physical education theory and pedagogy, self defense, and personal fitness. He was recently inducted into the Concordia-Moorhead Hall of Fame as a track and field athlete.