Alicia Dye | News Editor
Nov. 3, 2022
The NiteSpot reopened in the first floor of the Duquesne Union after its months-long renovation.
The NiteSpot is a popular area for students that offers a variety of programs on a weekly basis, as well as a place to relax with friends. The atmosphere was full of enthusiasm and anticipation as so many had awaited the return of the fan-favorite spot.
Graduate commuter student Tasha Francis was excited to see the NiteSpot return.
“I spent a lot of time here during my undergraduate years,” Francis said. “So when it closed, I was bummed I couldn’t hang out there in between classes. I’m really glad it’s back now.”
The room is filled with new attractions like billiards, table tennis and open space to hang out with friends.
The Professional Fraternity Council (PFC) hosted a float night with root beer floats, making it the first of many events to happen in the NiteSpot this semester Thursday at 9 p.m.
PFC Secretary Amanda Kearns was excited to be back in the NiteSpot.
“The NiteSpot is a beloved spot among students including myself,” Kearns said. “We wanted to make sure that new students got to see what the NiteSpot is like, so they can enjoy it throughout their time at Duquesne.”
The NiteSpot is the most recent renovation to happen on campus, with the campus bookstore receiving many renovations over the summer, including new flooring, colorful murals along the walls, new lighting and more. The NiteSpot itself has received a fresh coat of paint, but the biggest change was the removal of a movie room to make more space for students.
“The space is much more open,” Francis said. “I think it’ll allow clubs to have bigger activities than painting in the space. They can also have more people in here for large events, which I think will be helpful.”
Lei’asha Battle, the president of Art Club, is excited to have a different space to hold events.
“We are a new club and this is a great spot for us,” Battle said. “It’s in the center of campus and is in a popular spot. We’re hoping this will help more people come to our events.”
The NiteSpot has hosted many events in the past including orientation events, trivia nights, epic bingo and more.
2023 Orientation director Amandalynne Davis is excited to have more events in the spot next year.
“We really like having small events there during Orientation,” Davis said. “I think the NiteSpot is a perfect place for freshmen to meet each other and make new friends throughout the year.”
“Playing pool is something I love to do during finals to relax,” said Student Fletcher Zavadil. “The NiteSpot always has been a space where I love to relax especially when I’m super stressed, so I’m glad they opened it back up and made some changes.”
However, not all of the renovations are finished. Some of the ceiling tiles are missing, and there are still electrical wiring showing, but that doesn’t stop Duquesne students from enjoying this space.
“My friends and I love hanging out here and studying here throughout the year,” Kearns said. “It’s really a nice space where everyone can hang out and do whatever they want. When it was closed during midterms, I missed it and struggled finding a good spot to study in.”
Now that the NiteSpot is open, there will be events almost every night of the week. On Mondays, there is a DIY event, where students can make different things such as canvas paintings and more.
On Tuesdays, there are Taco Tuesdays, where some variation on tacos is served and students can get one for free.
On Wednesdays, the events vary from Bingo to open mic night to trivia tournaments.
On Thursdays, there are free non-alcoholic beverages available, ranging from root beer floats to mocktails.
On Fridays, Duquesne Program Council usually has an events, including EPIC Bingo, tie-dye and special events. There is also free food at the DPC events.
On Sundays, there is a service event that helps different communities, ranging from blanket making to making care packages for underserved communities.
There are multiple events coming up in the NiteSpot including a table tennis tournament on Nov. 15 at 9 p.m., DPC’s Season of Giving event on Friday and Grateful Painting on Thursday at 9 p.m.
Students can watch for more events happening in the NiteSpot in the weekly Bluff Blast emails and on CampusLink.