
Executive Director of the Student Centers Eve Esch and Sasha cut into the model student center cake for its 10th anniversary Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in Houston, Texas. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar
Last Wednesday, UH celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Student Centers with a week of discounts and giveaways from Jan.13 to 17.
The SC is considered the heart of campus with several sitting spaces, dining options and student services like the Women and Gender Resource Center.
“I think the ambiance is nice, I like that there are different types of food options and areas to sit,” said psychology senior Jaime Luis. “I also like that they have study areas, it is very accessible.”
Celebrations and activities
On Jan.15, the University celebrated the opening of Houston Street Subs, which recently replaced Melt Lab, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
A replica of the SC was also present in the form of a red velvet cake, which was later distributed to the students.
“It’s really nice that they bought some cake for us, especially since I didn’t eat breakfast,” said exercise science sophomore Gabriel Velasco. “They definitely came through for me.”
New boba drinks at Shasta’s Cones & More were also introduced and many students were seen purchasing some.
Additionally, a time capsule holding UH memorabilia was sealed and will open in January 2035.
Many students left notes in the capsule as a token of their presence during this historic moment, becoming a part of UH’s history forever.

The University of Houston Student Center’s Time Capsule is set to open in January 2035. | Emma Christensen/The Cougar on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in Houston, Texas.
Students had the opportunity to explore then stations that highlighted UH organizations. There were various freebies such as paperweights, special 10th anniversary t-shirts, cupcakes, TDECU merchandise, photo opportunities with Shasta and Sasha and a 360-degree video stand.
History of the Student Centers
In 1967 the Center was originally a ballroom and was known as the “living room” of the University.
In 2015, SC received an $80-million renovation that provided almost 306,000 square feet of space.
The large space has allowed UH to host various events such as Cat’s Back and Cultural Explosion, giving students the opportunity to interact with others.
“There’s always something going on: fun events, games, free food,” said conference and reservation services reservationist Micah Obregon. “When you have an event with everybody it’s easy to create a community together.”
The Center also offers various services such as a game room, Creation Station for creating graphics, Conference and Reservation services to reserve rooms for events and the Campus store where students can buy merch and school supplies.
“It’s a fantastic way to get to meet new people and get delicious food,” Velasco said. “I also just recently bought a calculator from the bookstore, and there was a 20% discount for that, so it’s really nice.”