The food court at Florida A&M University has a new look.
Instead of eating their meals to the sounds of people talking to their friends, ordering their food and playing card games, students are now able to watch their favorite programs on the new televisions that were installed this summer.
The television sets, located in the food court across from Pizza Hut, were ordered last spring and installed as a part of the New Age Administration’s makeover series.
“We wanted to think of some innovative things to do for students that student government hadn’t ever done,” said Phillip Agnew, last year’s student body president.
Monique Gillum, this year’s student body president said that her and Agnew wanted to add something extra to students’ dining experience.
“We [also] wanted to provide students with some alternative forms of entertainment as well as give them another place to watch cable television outside of the dorms,” said Agnew.
“The food court is now a more comfortable sitting area where students can talk to friends, watch TV and eat their food,” said Gillum, 21, a fourth year political science student from Gainesville.
Originally, Gillum and Agnew wanted to put the TV’s upstairs in the café, however, Terry Woodard and Michael Smith, of auxillary services, decided that it would be better to put the TV’s downstairs in the food court.
“They felt that there would be too much commotion upstairs,” Agnew said. “Also, the food court was not receiving that much business and they probably wanted to draw some attention in there.”
Although not located where Gillum and Agnew originally wanted them to be, the TV’s have been a big hit among students.
“When I walked into the food court, I was not expecting to see TVs on the wall,” said Shaquana Harper, 20, a third year political science student from Orlando. “I was able to actually sit down and enjoy my meal while catching up on shows that I hadn’t seen in a while.”
Brittney Walker, 18, a first-year general studies student from Delray Beach, said she also likes the new TVs.
“I think that it was a great idea for them to put TVs in the food court,” said Walker. “It gives students something to do while they are eating their food and when they are passing time between classes.”
Tiffany Armstrong, 20, a third-year political science student from Jacksonville, agrees with Walker.
“I do not go to the food court very often, however it is nice to know that there is a place, besides the TV room, where I can pass time in between my classes.”
In addition to the new TVs in the food court, the NewAge Administration recently put new couches and accessories in McGuinn Hall, Diamond Hall and Gibbs Halls. They also put new TVs in the TV room.
To view the new television sets, students can visit the food court located downstairs in the café. The food court’s hours of operation are from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.