--- title: Two new outdoor spaces at Dordt created to encourage community date: 2026-08-03T10:27:28-05:00 author: Sarah Moss canonical_url: "https://www.dordt.edu/news/two-new-outdoor-spaces-at-dordt-created-to-encourage-community" section: News --- [ View Dordt News](https://www.dordt.edu/news) [Campus](https://www.dordt.edu/news?category=campus) Aug 3, 2026 # Two new outdoor spaces at Dordt created to encourage community "Students gravitate outdoors when the weather is nice. These spaces give them opportunities to gather while still leaving room for whatever community develops naturally." ![](https://d3evso2dxyohou.cloudfront.net/generalUploads/shared-image-3.jpg?mode=crop&pos=center-center&w=66&h=57&f=webp&c=6e90125d&v=8289b550f761a268c4fac5543c0f6b550c6b05ab033a2dd2fa556f4f6f034eaa) ![]()As students return to Dordt University this fall, they'll find two new outdoor spaces designed to encourage community and connection. Construction is nearing completion on the Grove, an outdoor gathering space located between [West Hall](https://www.dordt.edu/about-dordt/campus-map/rooms/west-hall), [North Hall](https://www.dordt.edu/about-dordt/campus-map/rooms/north-hall), and [East Hall](https://www.dordt.edu/about-dordt/campus-map/rooms/east-hall); and the Quad, situated among [Kuyper Apartments](https://www.dordt.edu/about-dordt/campus-map/rooms/kuyper-apartments), [Southview Apartments](https://www.dordt.edu/about-dordt/campus-map/rooms/southview-apartments), and the [Squares Apartments](https://www.dordt.edu/about-dordt/campus-map/rooms/the-squares). The projects should be ready by the start of the academic year later this month. The new spaces reflect Dordt's ongoing commitment to creating places where students can gather, study, relax, and build relationships outside the classroom. “Students have a long shoulder season to enjoy being outdoors, and we want to create places where they can connect with one another, study, play games, or simply enjoy being outside,” says [Robert Taylor](https://www.dordt.edu/people/robert-taylor), vice president for student success and dean of students. ![](https://d3evso2dxyohou.cloudfront.net/generalUploads/Media-4.jpg?mode=fit&pos=center-center&w=57&h=65&c=a9cafb7d&v=d557b98886dd21eed70ba749b4ab428efecac85fa381608bc0c5f0bdac9c728d) The Grove combines intentionally designed gathering spaces with open green space. The area features a basketball court as well as pickleball courts, hammocking areas, fire pits, shaded seating, and open lawns for activities such as spikeball and Frisbee. "We wanted to provide programmed spaces while still leaving plenty of room for organic interaction," says [Derek Buteyn](https://www.dordt.edu/people/derek-buteyn), director of student success and residence life and associate dean of students. "Students gravitate outdoors when the weather is nice. These spaces give them opportunities to gather while still leaving room for whatever community develops naturally." The Grove's name grew from an earlier outdoor gathering area behind the former Commons, where students met beneath bistro lights strung through mature trees. As plans for the expanded space developed, the familiar name remained. On the other side of campus, the Quad provides a central gathering place for students living in Dordt's upperclassmen housing. The landscaped area includes a fire pit, pergola, hammocking spaces, seating areas, and lighting designed to enhance the landscape while preserving the atmosphere of the space after dark. "The goal was to create a place where students want to dwell," says Taylor. "We wanted it to become a community magnet—a place where students see one another, spend time together, and feel connected to their neighbors." The design of the Quad also helps strengthen community across Dordt's growing residential neighborhoods. "If you imagine this space without the gathering elements, it would simply be sidewalks connecting apartment buildings," says Buteyn. "By intentionally adding places to gather, it makes the entire neighborhood feel connected. Students begin to see everyone living there as part of the same community." Both projects were shaped in part by student feedback. University leaders held focus groups to learn what students valued most in outdoor spaces. Also, rather than duplicating every amenity throughout campus, Dordt intentionally designed the Quad and the Grove with distinct features to encourage students from different residence halls to explore different parts of campus. "We're trying to create spaces that draw people together," says Taylor. "Whether students are playing basketball, studying in the shade, sitting around a fire pit, or simply reading outside, these places are for everyone. We hope they help students meet one another more naturally and strengthen the sense of community that defines residential life at Dordt." To further encourage students to use the new spaces, Dordt student service leaders also developed a new checkout system for outdoor recreation equipment, allowing students to borrow items such as basketballs, pickleball equipment, spikeball sets, and lawn games using their student IDs. "We're excited to watch students interact with these spaces," says Buteyn. "We think they're going to discover new ways to spend time together, and that's ultimately what these projects are all about." --- **About Dordt University** As an institution of higher education committed to the Reformed Christian perspective, Dordt University equips students, alumni, and the broader community to work effectively toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life. Located in Sioux Center, Iowa, Dordt offers undergraduate and graduate programs that help students live their faith in every area of life. Through rigorous learning, meaningful relationships, and whole-person formation, students gain the practical wisdom to serve God and neighbor through their work and in their communities. Dordt has been named among the nation's leading Christian universities by *U.S. News & World Report*, *Niche*, and other national publications. --- [Next Article ![](https://d3evso2dxyohou.cloudfront.net/generalUploads/i-736pJfz-X3.jpg?mode=crop&pos=center-center&w=56&h=33&f=webp&c=b83440e4&v=8a7614c53892c552cd305706baf5cab1a7df01ccf7f7ef6dab01bd1ba4267224) Academics Nursing Jul 30, 2026 ## Dordt nursing graduates surpass national NCLEX pass rate With a 96% first-time pass rate on the NCLEX for registered nurses in 2026, Dordt University nursing graduates exceeded the most recent national first-time pass rate of 86% reported in 2025. 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