Students, staff and faculty enjoy treats in the second floor commons during the Hughes-Trigg 20th Birthday celebration. (Jennifer Parrish)

The Hughes-Trigg Student Center celebrated its 20th anniversary yesterday with a birthday lunch held in the second floor commons.

The room was filled with students and faculty alike, as finger sandwiches and punch were served to the crowd along with cake, cookies, and ice cream for dessert. The Commons were also decorated with red and blue ribbons and balloons to add to the festivities.

Partygoers were treated to performances from SMU’s Meadows Chorale, which sang two hymns before finishing with the SMU Varsity song, and the Voices of Inspiration Gospel Choir continued with more music for the crowd, followed with a “Happy Birthday” finale for Hughes-Trigg.

The Hughes-Trigg Center was made possible through a $10 million dollar donation from Charles and Katharine Hughes-Trigg, who, as rumor has it, met and fell in love at the exact spot where the center of the Commons is located. The three-story, 112,000 square foot building first opened in October of 1987 and has continued to serve both on and off-campus students of all cultures with meeting rooms for clubs and boards, two restaurants, a coffeeshop and computer lab, and a post office. SMU also hosts the Student Media Company, Inc., New Student Programs and the SAMSA offices among others.

Most of the senior staff turned out for the party as well. Managers David Hayden, Stan Stubblefield and Shawn Remek helped with food services, and Marketing Manager Mariana Sullivan held a prize drawing at the end of the ceremony, with gifts ranging from restaurant certificates, CDs, Dallas Stars tickets, spa and hair salon certificates, and SMU merchandise. The new Hughes-Trigg Director, Dr. Margo McClinton, was also found conversing with students and staff alike.

To find out information involving reservations, room rentals, or other items, visit the Mane Desk in the Hughes-Trigg Commons or go to smu.edu/htrigg for more details.