Washington, D.C. & Baltimore, MD – August 14, 2025– Johns Hopkins University has named CENTERS as the operations partner for its new Student Center, building on a successful pre-opening advisory relationship that began in 2024.
Scheduled to open in August 2025, the facility will be the university’s first dedicated student center, and it represents a long-anticipated investment in student life designed to foster connection, creativity, and community. CENTERS transitioned from pre-opening advisory to a full-service management contract in spring 2025. Reporting to Student Affairs, CENTERS oversees a team of full-time and part-time student staff, working closely with many campus partners, including Hopkins Dining and Scheduling and Event Services to bring the 150,000-square-foot facility to life.
“This project represents everything CENTERS was built to do,” said Jeff Sessine, Executive Vice President of CENTERS. “The new student center will be a place where students gather, lead, and build community, and we’re proud that our pre-opening advisory work has earned the trust to carry it forward through full operations.”
Designed as the “campus living room,” the student center will serve more than 400 student organizations and includes a 220-seat theater, a full-service restaurant and food hall featuring local vendors, a creative media studio, drop-in maker spaces, rehearsal and reflection rooms, and a range of reservable spaces. The building, designed by BIG and Shepley Bulfinch, features mass timber construction, biophilic design, and stormwater capture systems, and is targeting LEED Platinum certification.
Greg Ross, Vice President of Operations at CENTERS, leads the project team, coordinating closely with university stakeholders to ensure operational excellence and optimize student engagement. Ross brings decades of experience managing complex campus center operations across the country.
Johns Hopkins joins a growing national portfolio of CENTERS-managed facilities, including recreation and wellness centers, arenas, student centers, sports complexes, event and conference services, performing arts venues, student housing, and more.
About CENTERS CENTERS is a nationally recognized management firm that specializes in the operation of campus life centers for colleges, universities, and nonprofit institutions. The firm’s portfolio includes recreation and wellness centers, arenas, student centers, sports complexes, event and conference services, performing arts venues, student housing, and more. CENTERS delivers mission-aligned, student-focused operations that enhance campus engagement and support institutional priorities. CENTERS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Brailsford & Dunlavey, Inc. Learn more at www.centersusa.com.
Media Contact: Greg Ross, Vice President of Operations, CENTERS, gross@centersusa.com