Currently, the Student Life Center is Malvern’s newest construction project. This space will create new areas for athletics and academics, as well as co-operative work spaces, and a large viewing deck for the ever-growing and improving campus. Mr. Jeff Kinney, Director of Facilities at Malvern Prep, shared insights and expectations of the space as well as a behind-the-scenes look at the process.
“We were bursting at the seams,” Mr. Kinney said in reference to the amount of teams needing to use the O’Neil Center locker rooms. In the O’Neil Center there is the main basketball court, pool, and squash courts, making the building packed every day after school.
The issue of multiple teams and athletes being assigned to the same locker rooms and lockers has become overwhelming and cumbersome. The Student Life Center will provide room for athletic expansion. Mr. Kinney further explained what expansion means for Malvern athletes.
“Each kid would have a space in the locker room instead of doubling up and teaming up with another guy. So it would give a proper amount of space for each sport. Primarily, we would probably keep the upper school out there, and then the O’Neill Center would be all for the [Middle School], which has all been renovated too,” Mr. Kinney said.
Along with room to grow, Malvern athletes will be able to feel a new sense of ownership and belonging to their team with individual locker spaces, Mr. Kinney explained.
“When that building is finished, it gives our sporting programs a lot of growing room and flexibility. Everybody’s going to feel part of the team, because they’re going to see that they have their own individual locker. It’s their space,” Mr. Kinney said.
An athlete’s play is influenced by both on the field and off the field factors, so having individual spaces for each player to prepare themselves became a key aspect of design. Mr. Kinney connected the design to that of collegiate athletic rooms, a perfect fit for Malvern.
“It’s really the same way [that] the college and the professional guys have it. That’s the whole design there. So we feel we’re at that level, and the guys deserve that,” Mr. Kinney said.
The Student Life Center is fitted for students, but also creates spaces for spectators to view athletics on the surrounding fields. The upper floor contains decking, (covered and uncovered) for families, friends, and all spectators to use during athletic events.
Additionally, collegiate or pro scouts and coaches will now have a bird’s-eye view of all playing fields.
Office space will also be present in the Student Life Center, but notably, the admissions team plans to make their move over to the center as well. The new designated area for admissions will give prospective students and other Malvern community members a new and different view of all campus has to offer.
Mr. Dave Gueriera, Head Coach of Malvern Prep’s football team, shared his insights on the team’s new locker rooms. The first insight, improvements.
“In a lot of ways, at first, functionally, it’s going to be more room for us. So I think just off the bat, that’s good, because we do like to meet, and we congregate a lot in the locker room. Currently, we have 80 guys in a locker room here in O’Neill,” Gueriera said.
Mr. Gueriera acknowledged the coaching staff’s impact on the new locker rooms’ functionality.
“In the locker rooms, they did lean on us a lot for how it should lay out, and then meeting rooms. Because I think meeting rooms are so important. Like, right now we use the Stewart cafeteria, which is fine, but now our locker room has a meeting room in there as well.”
The Student Life Center sends a message to the Malvern community of our school’s commitment to academic growth, but Mr. Gueriera shared his interpretation of the message being sent to our community about Malvern’s athletics.
“Athletically speaking, I think it puts us on the top of the stage as far as attracting top student athletes here. I think when you look at our facilities we were already an A, but now with this new facility, the new locker rooms, meeting rooms, the veranda that’s gonna wrap around, I think it makes us an A plus. So I feel like we’re as competitive as we’ve ever been to attract a top student,” Gueriera said.
The timeline and progression of the Student Life Center have remained at a steady pace. Steel framing went up as school began, and exterior walls and roofing are expected to be done by winter. Work can then continue inside and be ready for students by September of 2026.
The Student Life Center will join the many buildings here on campus, and it solidifies Malvern’s continuous growth and outreach. Mr. Kinney’s final remarks capture the depth of Malvern’s ever-growing campus.
“There’s some really cool things happening here for you young men, it blows my mind. I never grew up with anything like that, and for me to see what’s going on here. You guys are truly blessed to have something like this. You really are.”
Mr. Ron Algeo, Associate Head of School, was able to speak on additional attributes the Student Life Center will include. As the Malvern community spent the beginning of the school year dealing with and mourning the loss of a beloved Malvern brother, this new building presents possibilities for honoring his memory.
“A lot of people have been reaching out to support the [Donohue Family,] to see what we can do as a community to honor Kevin and his life. And we’ve had students asking, which is great! We’ve had current parents asking which is awesome! We have past parents that have reached out to us, and we have alumni that have reached out to us, so, instead of having a lot of different things going on that can start to spider web out and lose momentum, Mr. Sillup and Father Bill have actually worked with the family. So Kevin’s parents want to be very much involved, and they want to be able to help direct a lot of this care and support,” Algeo said.
Regarding plans moving forward, the Donohue family is at the forefront of decision-making and cementing Kevin’s legacy on campus.
“So [Mr. and Mrs. Donohue] actually came in to meet with Dr. Sillup, and it looks like they have a plan. They’re finalizing those details, and as soon as that is done, which sounds like it’s going to be soon, that’s going to be shared with the community, so that current students, current parents, past parents and alums can say, ‘Oh, awesome, this is what we want to do,’” Algeo said.
He added, “It’s been beautiful.”
Additionally, Mr. Algeo noted that the Malvern community wanted to memorialize other important figures and this new building presents this opportunity.
“Also people have reached out to say, ‘Hey, how can we help honor other people as well, past teachers, former friars, Father Flynn, who passed away this past summer?’ They’re working with Father Hagin, who’s the provincial for all the Augustinians, to see what would make sense and how they can help honor as many people as they can,” Algeo said.
As for other amenities to the Student Life Center. Mr. Algeo shared specific uses for spaces on the upper floor of the building. These new utilities will be available to students when the building opens in the fall of 2026.
“This could sound corny, but I can’t stand the porta potties that are outside. It just looks JV, to me, so with the opportunity, they’re going to be beautiful, nice bathrooms that are accessible to people from the outside. You don’t have to go inside. I think that’s actually a step up.”
On the upper floor of the Student Life Center are opportunities to collaborate with innovative and practical spaces.
“Then the top floor is more learning space. Every space we have on campus [students] fill, which I love. So there’s going to be a teaching kitchen. A lot of students and teachers are really into nutrition as a culinary art so that’s going to be awesome. A data analytics classroom, I think is really cool. I’m a math guy, so I like that sense. And then finally, another piece I think is awesome is the outdoor viewing areas where you can view different events on campus. I think that is going to be great” Algeo said.
Accessibility was a priority in the design. Making the community a more inclusive and participational place springs from Malvern’s Augustinian mission.
“If [students] have a grandparent that’s in a wheelchair, needs a walker, it was hard for them to get to those fields. This provides ample opportunity for anybody that has any kind of assistance need to physically get to watch those games. You will be able to do that from those spaces. There’s elevators. It’s easily accessible, so that part’s really cool,
Malvern’s brotherhood lasts a lifetime. Alumni, past parents, and any community member will encounter opportunities to experience the Student Life Center and its multifaceted uses.
“And the multi use it’ll get, you’re going to be able be able to have events there alumni gatherings, I think this space is going to really pop during like a homecoming, like, let’s say it’s a 25 year reunion, you might have that class up there, watching some of the games. So I think from that regard I think that’s going to be really cool, a lot of different factions of the Malvern community get to use that space. That’s what I love,” Mr. Algeo said.
