My Davidson | A Student Blog A Guide to the Alvarez College Union: Davidson's Hub for Student Life
April 11, 2025
With five floors and 122,000 square feet, Knobloch Campus Center is the heart of college community life.
Consisting of the Alvarez College Union and the Duke Family Performance Hall, Knobloch Campus Center is a popular gathering place for students, faculty, staff and visitors, providing opportunities for involvement in formal and informal activities.
In less than 30 seconds, get a taste of all the Alvarez College Union has to offer our community.
Whether visiting for the first time, getting started as a first year or returning to campus after many years away, the building can be a maze of resources, opportunities and people looking to connect with you. So, we've broken the spaces down by floor to help you get oriented.
Floor 1
Davidson Outdoors
Davidson Outdoors offers a wide variety of outdoor activities, events and courses throughout the year to Davidson students, faculty and staff. Weekend trips are student run and include everything from relaxing day hikes to multiday paddling, climbing or backpacking adventures! Check out their office on the first floor.
Nisbet Fitness Center
Open to all students, faculty and staff, this space provides aerobic step and treadmill machines, weight stations and dumbbells. A glass wall in the fitness center opens onto the climbing wall and Davidson Outdoors, which occupies the lowest level of the building.
Floor 2
Anchored by the Mariam Cannon Hayes Amphitheatre on the western entrance to the Alvarez College Union, the second floor consists of a number of important spaces and resources.
Post & Print
This office provides copy, print and mail services for our students, faculty and staff. Learn more about mailing and shipping to campus.
Matthews Center for Career Development
The Betty and B. Frank Matthews II ’49 Center for Career Development is here to help you turn your academic knowledge into a real-world career with a variety of resources focused on graduate degrees, internships, fellowships and jobs. Explore their Key Programming.
Center for Student Diversity & Inclusion
The Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion (CSDI) serves as the administrative office for the Director of Student Diversity and Inclusion and the Center support staff. This student-centered lounge strives to be a community building space for students to have organic conversations and enjoy social activities such as games, coloring, music and refreshments.
Duke Family Performance Hall
One of the region's finest performance venues, this 600+ seat proscenium theatre is housed within the Knobloch Campus Center along with the Alvarez College Union, creating a seamless relationship between academics, art, entertainment and college community life. Explore the arts at Davidson.
It's common to find a student performance group taking the stage on the second floor of the Union in the Brown Atrium.
Floor 3
As you approach the south side of the Knobloch Campus Center, overlooking the Lisa and Jeff Case Track & Field Complex, you'll find yourself on the Ann and Edward L. Baker Terrace, a popular meal and game time gathering point for the campus community. Enter the Alvarez College Union from the terrace, and you'll find the Johnston Living Room, a space with a fireplace, piano and comfortable seating. In addition to these gathering places (including the Arthur Vining Davis Room and the Morcott Room), you'll find important resources on the third floor.
C. Shaw Smith 900 Room
An intimate performance hall, this space is used for a variety of events, from movies to theatre, lectures to sit-down meals, and "Live Thursdays" featuring student performance groups. Additional seating is available on a balcony surrounding the space, and doors open to an outdoor balcony with a northern view of campus.
Davis Café
Located at the center of campus life, the Davis Café offers a variety of grab-and-go options, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as pre-packaged drinks and snacks. Student favorites include smash burgers, grilled chicken sandwiches, classic bowls, flatbreads, soups and sides.
Game Room
A College Union staple, pool tables and foosball are located on the main floor. Additionally, you'll find ping pong tables on the second floor and TVs throughout the Union.
Floor 4
Throughout the center of the multi-level Union is the Brown Atrium, which unifies the core of the building. Capped with a large skylight, the atrium looks over three levels of activities. On the top floor, you'll find tons of natural light and important student-centric offices, including the Student Activities Office, the Center for Civic Engagement and the Chaplains' Office. You'll also find small offices for various student organizations, including The Davidsonian, Student Government Association and more.
The Oasis
A peaceful place designed for meditation, contemplation, prayer, worship or ritual, the Oasis is in the Chaplains' Office, near the elevator. Whether you settle into a chair or use one of the meditation cushions, gaze out the windows onto campus, or meet friends to consider life's big questions, you are welcome to take some contemplative time in the Oasis.
With its ample seating and natural light, the top floor of the Union is a popular spot to work away from the hustle and bustle of the lower floors.
Ready to experience the Alvarez College Union in person? Schedule a campus visit today.
