Unlocking Campus Potential: Supporting Accessible Shared Spaces

College campuses are built on shared spaces. From student unions and rec centers to residence halls and libraries, these spaces are where the most meaningful moments of campus life take place. They’re where friendships are forged, late-night study sessions morph into lasting memories, and communities take shape.

At RecRe, we think a lot about these spaces—not just about what they are today, but what they could be. Our work centers on helping campuses unlock the full potential of their shared spaces, making them more accessible, vibrant, and valuable for students. It’s not about big, sweeping changes but small, thoughtful adjustments that can make a world of difference.

One of the things we’ve realized is that while these spaces are often well-designed and thoughtfully curated, they’re not always available when students need them most. The late-night hours, for instance, are a missed opportunity across many campuses. After 9 or 10 p.m., many student unions and other shared spaces go quiet—not because students have stopped needing them, but because these facilities tend to operate on schedules designed for administrators, not students.

But students are alive in those late hours. They’re working on group projects, meeting up with friends, or just needing a space to unwind after the day. What if those spaces could stay “alive” for just a few more hours each day? What if the rec center, student union, or residence hall common areas remained accessible in ways that were both sustainable and impactful?

This idea of “late-night access” is just one of many reasons why we’re so excited about the work we do at RecRe. Our automated lending lockers allow students to borrow and return everything from recreational equipment to technology at any hour of the day, without requiring staff to be on-site. By using tools like ours, campuses can extend the utility of their shared spaces and give students more opportunities to connect, collaborate, and thrive.

But late-night access is only part of the story. Shared spaces are also about what happens during regular hours—and how they can better serve the needs of an increasingly diverse student body. Campuses buy into RecRe because our platform simplifies access, reduces friction, and empowers students to take ownership of their experiences. It’s not just about borrowing a piece of gear or checking out a laptop; it’s about making that process so seamless and intuitive that students can focus on what matters: the interaction, the game, the project, or the community event.

For example, in a rec center, our lockers can streamline how students rent sports gear, eliminating bottlenecks that prevent staff from focusing on more impactful programming. In residence halls, they can make it easier for students to share resources like cleaning supplies or cooking equipment, creating a sense of trust and shared responsibility. And in esports or academic spaces, they enable students to access high-value technology without worrying about logistics or oversight.

What excites us most about our work is imagining what happens when these small changes stack up. If a campus could make its shared spaces feel vibrant and accessible an extra 3-5 hours a day, 250 days a year, what would the impact be? What new connections could be made? What friendships would be formed? How would students remember their time on campus differently?

And for campus administrators, these changes don’t have to come with an unsustainable burden. Our technology is designed to complement the human side of campus life, not replace it. It’s about freeing up time and energy for staff to focus on creating meaningful programming and supporting students—not managing inventory or manually tracking rentals.

At RecRe, we know we’re not solving every problem on campus, and we don’t pretend to be. But we believe in the power of small changes—the kind that help shared spaces work harder and serve more students. Over time, those small improvements can add up to something big: a campus that feels alive and accessible to every student, no matter the time of day.

That’s the vision we’re working toward, and we couldn’t be more excited to see how campuses bring it to life. One interaction, one connection, and one rental at a time.