Focus on wellness and recreation

Ferris Athletic Center addition underway

By Mary Howard
Architectural Renderings Courtesy of Perkins Eastman

Work began in December on a transformational addition to the George M. Ferris Athletic Center. Fundraising continues, with the primary goals of securing endowed funds for maintenance of the new Wellness and Recreation Center, fitness programs, and Trinity’s athletics teams.

Director of Athletics and Chair of Physical Education Drew Galbraith says that the reimagined facility—the 37,000-square-foot addition and the improved existing space—is intended to serve all students. “Every student should feel at home here,” Galbraith says. “We went into the planning process determined to provide all Trinity students—athletes and nonathletes—with first-class spaces to work out, take spin or Zumba classes, and participate in a full range of wellness activities.”

With fitness for all students a priority, the project also will support the wellness requirement of the Trinity Plus curriculum, which was instituted with the 2021 matriculating class. It requires that all students complete two wellness experiences during their first two years. These experiences are intended to promote positive habit building around mental, physical, and spiritual health, says Leo Schuchert, associate director for the Center for Academic and Experiential Advising. “The idea is that early engagement will sustain a long-term commitment to wellness during a student’s four years at Trinity and beyond,” says Schuchert. “The larger, more inviting space [at Ferris] will increase foot traffic and spark interest in the wellness opportunities the [athletic center] offers.”

Room to grow

Though the athletic center has had minor upgrades since it first opened in 1968 (a planned renovation covered in the winter 2020 issue of The Trinity Reporter was halted due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic), this addition will be the most significant. “The new student fitness center will be 2,100 square feet larger than the one we have now, and the new recreational gym will offer 20 percent more space for basketball and volleyball,” says Galbraith.

In addition to the multipurpose recreational gym, planned enhancements for the first floor include gathering spaces for students, studios for yoga and spin-cycling classes, a student fitness center with space for cardio workouts, and a free-weight room.

The second floor will include coaches’ offices, rooms for film review, and team gathering spaces. Construction is estimated to take about 18 months, and during that time, practices and matches will continue in the current center with little disruption, says Galbraith.

Focus on fitness

Since joining the faculty in 2011, Associate Professor of Physical Education and Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach Katy Syzmanski M’11 says she has seen a change in her student-athletes’ attitudes toward wellness, with an expectation to train all year long. “It’s what they did in high school,” she says, adding, “Fitness is a much greater focus for all students than it was just 10 years ago.” Due to the current lack of space and scheduling issues, though, some students drive off campus to take fitness classes, such as yoga, she says. However, with better facilities and opportunities, she expects more students will stay at Ferris “to work out, but also to hang out.”

Syzmanski says a new and improved Ferris also will aid in recruitment. “We can say, ‘Come to Trinity be an active participant here—in varsity athletics, intramurals, community service, or research.’ ”

Excellence in squash

A centerpiece of the addition will be a new home for Trinity squash. Moustafa Hamada ’15, Paul D. Assaiante Instructor for Physical Education and head men’s squash coach, is pleased that the seven new squash courts will be right off the new center lobby. “It feels like a privilege,” he says. “This will be the first thing people see when they enter the building.”

A star player on the men’s team under legendary coach Paul Assaiante, Hamada played in matches that contributed to Assaiante’s unprecedented 252-match winning streak. In June 2023, Hamada followed in his mentor’s footsteps when he became head coach of the Bantams.

“The sport is so popular at Trinity. It’s not just athletes who play, but other students, professors, and community members,” he says. The new courts also will provide enhanced viewing for the teams’ many fans. The current squash center on the third floor of Ferris will be renovated to provide a permanent home to Capitol Squash, a nonprofit that seeks to empower Hartford youth.

A campus hub

Like Syzmanski, Hamada says he also is eager to see the athletic center become a place where students meet to “just hang out.” Galbraith agrees. “These changes will provide a healthy, substance-free space for all students to socialize while creating a welcoming anchor to this part of campus,” he says. “Whether they work out lightly or seriously, we want all students to know that this is their space; they belong here.”

For more information on the All In campaign and how you can help Trinity athletics and other fundraising priorities, please contact Shannon Malloy Rhatican M’13, director of leadership giving, at 860-297-4232 or [email protected].

See photos of the Ferris renovation via a campus webcam here.

‘Striving for excellence’ Together, Peter Duncan ’81, P’13, ’14 and Elissa Raether Kovas ’93, P’25 chair the athletics and wellness portion of the All In Campaign. “Peter and Elissa are 100 percent about delivering for our students, ensuring that they have the best possible experience,” says Director of Athletics Drew Galbraith. “They model an important behavior we aim to instill in every one of our students: striving for excellence as a way of life.” To Trinity’s benefit, Duncan has leveraged his passion for Bantam athletics with his professional expertise in commercial real estate. He plays a key role as a trustee and a member of the design committee for the new wellness and recreation center, tapping his deep knowledge to help create a building that will be transformative for every Trinity student, athletes and nonathletes alike. Kovas has shown that her passion for the game of squash is rivaled only by her commitment to Trinity athletics as a whole. In addition to her service as a trustee, Kovas is a volunteer leader with MetroSquash, a Chicago-based urban youth squash and academic program. As fundraising efforts for the Trinity facility were somewhat upended by the global pandemic, Kovas rallied fellow alumni to stay the course in their determination to see a new center that mirrors the quality of our students and provides space for Capitol Squash, Hartford’s youth squash program. With construction of the new facility underway, Duncan and Kovas are focused on raising funds to further endow wellness and athletic programs. Galbraith stressed the importance of this phase of the initiative, noting, “Endowed support for our teams, programs, and facilities will be transformational. A healthy endowment for Bantam athletics would directly translate to even better experiences for our students, whether they are team athletes or students committed to fitness and recreation.”