by Nick Coser
One of the most frequented buildings here at Olivet Nazarene University is the Ludwig Center. Affectionately referred to by students as “Luddy”, the building serves as a hub for students and faculty to have fellowship with one another and serves many functions for the university. The building has undergone several significant renovations in the past 25 years, all of which have shaped it into the central point of ONU’s campus today. According to the Olivet Admissions team, Ludwig Center was named after Dr. Sylvester T. Ludwig, General Secretary, Church of the Nazarene. The building was opened in 1966 and was built as part of five builds with funds raised by Mr. Miby, who’s son is the namesake of Milby Clock Tower, Tom Milby.
Main Level
The Nash Banquet Hall is where most students spend their breakfasts, lunches, and dinners while on campus. Luddy’s central location on the university’s campus makes it an easy stop for students to pick up a bite to eat in-between classes and activities. The main dining hall is large enough to seat hundreds of students at a time, and offers a range of meal selections each day. The south end of the dining hall is named after Judy Cooer, an Olivet graduate and Director of Food Services for 40 years. Last summer, Olivet was able to pay for another renovation of the dining hall with help from a gift from Sodexo.
The dining hall is also decorated and used for formal events for alumni, staff, and visitors to the campus. Every year the building is doted with various Christmas accoutrements, giving the large main hallway some holiday cheer and adding lights, wreaths, and Christmas trees to the dining hall. The main hallway is frequented by stands for various clubs, movements, and opportunities. Students and off-campus recruitment will sit behind tables to promote extracurriculars, campus activities, and summer job opportunities.
Upper Level
The second floor of Ludwig is host to several important faculty members of Olivet Nazarene University. One of which is Chaplain Mark Holcomb, who enjoys having his office in a central location on Olivet’s campus.
“I sought after this office location as soon as it became available because I believe it’s important to be within the student body and not off in some building on the far side of campus.”
MARK HOLCOMB
Students who need their daily dose of caffeine or just need somewhere to meet up and study with friends have a Starbucks coffee available right inside of Ludwig Center.
Dr. Walter “Woody” Webb said the area where Starbucks is currently used to be a formal lounge before being transformed into Common Grounds, a coffee shop owned by Sodexo. In 2018, it was remodeled to house a fully-licensed mini-Starbucks, which has become extremely popular with students here at ONU. Ludwig center contains a merchandise shop that sells sweatshirts, hats, lanyards, and other Olivet-themed paraphernalia.
The Webb
During the summer of 2019, lower-level Ludwig, previously known as Red Room, was remodeled to fit a new grill and salad bar. The floor was renamed “The Web” after Dr. Woody Web, the Vice President of Student Development at ONU.
When asked about how he felt about the name change, Webb stated,
“The naming of the lower-level was a complete surprise to me. I am honored and humbled by it. I certainly don’t feel deserving. I believe the idea originated with Dr. David Pickering and Dr. Bowling informed me of the decision to name the lower-level ‘The Webb’.”
“The Web” features CRU5H, a grill and taco bar that serves freshly grilled burgers and other meal options for students, and Farmer’s Field, a salad bar that provides nutritious salads for students to customize themselves and take on the go. “The Web” is host to lots of open seating for students to socialize and enjoy their meals. Students also have two conference rooms at their disposal for organized meetings and get-togethers. The floor also contains two pool tables and a ping pong table for some friendly competition.
The student-run mailroom is located in the corner of lower-level Ludwig. Students are able to pick up packages and important mail without ever having to leave campus. Adjacent to the mailroom is the Olivet Bookstore, where students can pick up their required materials for their education. The “store” itself is housed online, but all of the textbooks are on campus, ready to be retrieved by students at the beginning of new semesters.
