After nearly three years, construction on the Cohen Student Union remodel has finished. FGCU President Aysegul Timur, along with the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 Student Government (SG) presidential administrations, held a ribbon-cutting event on March 17 to celebrate the completion of the faculty’s second phase.
The changes included updating exterior and interior shared spaces. The outside lawn area got a complete revamp, adding turf and power outlets, recycled lawn chairs and space for hammocks. Inside the Union, new seating and study areas were added on both floors, along with a conference room and charging pads. A front desk was also added to the foyer.
“[This] is what can happen when student leaders prioritize the needs and experiences of the people that they represent,” said current SG President Gianna Ihuoma. “When my vice president and I took office, we wanted to continue building on that foundation with one guiding priority, making this space as student-centered as possible.”
Ryan Kaczynski and Jackson Chumbley, who served as SG president and vice president in 2024-2025, were instrumental in designing the remodel while in office.
Story continues below advertisement
“This project began with the leadership of our previous student body president, Ryan Kaczynski and vice president, Jackson Chumbley,” said Ihuoma. “They saw the potential for this space and began the process of turning an idea into reality. Their commitment to improving the student experience laid the foundation for what we’re celebrating today.”
Photos from Cohen Student Union’s ribbon-cutting celebration on Tuesday, March 17, 2026.
To develop the exterior lawn, FGCU worked with a longtime construction management partner, Owen-Ames-Kimball (OAK). The school has worked with OAK since 2008, managing the construction of nine buildings on campus, starting with Lutgert Hall.
“It’s always a challenge whenever you have to build on an occupied campus, when our team has been phenomenal with making sure that all the students could see the progress that was [happening], but not disrupt them throughout the whole process,” said Cory O’Donnell, the Marketing Manager for OAK. “We’re very proud of the fact that we delivered it a month ahead of schedule.”
Two FGCU alumni serve on the company’s major project team, which consists of the project manager and the assistant project manager.
“[The assistant project manager] actually graduated while this was happening, so he got to see it as a student, and then he got to be a part of it for the last for this first part of his career,” said O’Donnell. “The students teach us just as much as we teach them, and, and just having that pride and that passion for the university makes a huge difference. It helps you get up and go to work every day and want to create a better environment for the students moving forward.”
Senior project manager for FGCU Physical Plant, Miguel Rodriguez, supervises and manages the scope, schedule and budget for the remodeling project.
“Working in partnership with Student Government, our two main priorities were to create a space that could be programmed year‑round regardless of weather and to ensure the area was fully ADA‑accessible for students, faculty and staff,” said Rodriguez-Aquino. “Astroturf best supported both of those goals.”
Students who have used the lawn since the opening have had mixed reactions to the new installation.
“It’ll be hot because there’s no shade,” said junior Christian Del Pilar. “It’s nice, but no one will use them if the sun is going to be burning people to a crisp.”
Astroturf and other artificial grasses have been documented multiple times by researchers and scientists to retain significantly more heat than natural grass, with temperatures trending higher by around 30°F-60°F. Athletes playing on turf also have a higher risk of sustaining “turf burns” from extended playtime on the surface.
“We were advertised as an environmentally friendly college and yet we have fake grass,” said sophomore Samantha Doucet. “They ripped out everything natural for plastic just because it looks better. It’s a nice place for people to relax and do work while enjoying the fresh air, but they can do that on natural grass.”
Plans to improve the courtyard space are currently planned out with additional technology, sound systems and seating.
“We are especially grateful for the involvement of Student Government, whose advocacy played a major role in shaping and supporting the courtyard renovation,” said Rodriguez-Aquino.
The third and final phase of the Cohen refurbishment will continue the renovation of the building’s interior, and impact the second-floor ballrooms, conference rooms, Student Life spaces, the Fishbowl and the Dean’s Suite.
“My hope is that this lawn becomes one of those places for all of you, a place where students from every background and every major can come together and feel that they belong here at FGCU,” said Ihuoma. “Thank you for believing in the importance of investment in our students, and to the students who will fill the space every day, this lawn is for you.”