On Dec. 2., the Senior Class Gift Committee announced the Mercyhurst Senior Class Gift for 2016. Beginning next Fall, there will be an “After Hours” coffee bar in the 24/7 Study Lounge in the library.

The student body was notified by email about the decision and many are excited for the addition.

“I think it is awesome. I don’t have to worry about running home just to get coffee when that 2 a.m. study session still has a few more hours left,” junior Mackenzie Clark said.

The gift is expected to cost at least $12,000. This estimate includes the cost of a cash register as well as the license to use it on campus, equipment for coffee making, utensils for serving, food and the coffee itself.

Thus far, the senior class has raised $4,000.

“Our goal ultimately is to raise $12,000 to donate the after hour coffee bar to the 24-hour lounge,” Cailey DeWaine, member of Senior Class Gift committee, said. “We have already planned having ‘Senior Week’ featuring a date auction, possibly a students versus faculty basketball game and more, as well as an end of the year bar crawl. More events are to be announced in the Spring semester.”

The process of choosing the right gift takes work. The committee brainstorms ideas and tests out the feasibility of each idea.

“We do this by branching out to our contacts and doing research into how much gift ideas will cost, and whether or not gifts would be liked by the upcoming classes by emailing surveys to Mercyhurst students,” DeWaine said.

Once the list is narrowed down to the top few ideas, each one is presented to a panel, which includes President Victor. The panel then votes and chooses the best idea.

The coffee bar will be constructed over the summer and will open for business starting Fall 2017.