Downtown campus offers variety and convenience

by Hilari Anderson, Aaron Fitzpatrick and Bonnie Katzive

Cafes.  Classes.  Internships. Foosball.  

Whatever their taste in activities, students and visitors find a multitude of ways to take advantage of Arizona State University’s (ASU) downtown Phoenix campus.

Visitors and students may benefit from the wealth of knowledge possessed by employees at ASU’s information desk in the University Center.  Desk attendant Lauren Guzman frequently assists students and visitors seeking places to eat, study or relax.

“If they’re into cool coffee shops, that’s kind of my specialty, so I send them that way,”  she said.  “Or if they want to do, like, shopping or something, there’s a lot of different places they can go downtown.”

Guzman also said she directs students to ASU’s new student union, The Student Center @ the Post Office.

The gathering space has yet to make a splash with students, many of whom don’t know it exists, said Maximillian Meza, a front desk attendant and ASU student, but with a shaded patio, pool tables, foosball, and air-conditioned lounging areas, those who discover it are sure to enjoy opportunities to decompress from studying and exams.

Younger students abound during the summer.  Jennifer Boone is a mentor for CompuGirls, a program that exposes under-resourced youth to technology such as filmmaking, podcasting and game design.  This summer’s program is housed at ASU.  So, when it’s time to relax, Boone tells her students to look to urban areas surrounding the Phoenix branch for refreshments and entertainment.

“Just a little bit south of here there are a couple of areas called The District -- a movie theater’s there, they have a bowling alley, so just some fun places to enjoy activities while you’re in downtown Phoenix.”

While recreation is important to students, the downtown campus also affords many internship opportunities, said Guzman, particularly for journalism students who intern at the nearby The Arizona Republic.

Meza, an Arizona native and a commuter student, said he appreciates all these offerings, but he chose ASU in part because of its proximity to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

“It’s really convenient to be parked downtown already and be so close,” he said.

With its access to light rail, the downtown campus also connects to university facilities in Tempe and other Phoenix attractions.  The downtown area also includes a Farmer’s Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays, Food Truck Fridays, numerous art galleries and a variety of theatrical and musical opportunities. 


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The urban location near parks, restaurants and public transportation is pedestrian friendly.  (Photo by Bonnie Katzive)

The Phoenix Civic Space the The Student Center@ the Post Office at The Arizona State University provide spaces for relaxation and study.  (Photo by Bonnie Katzive)