“I’m sure many of you have never seen the inside, and I’m sure many of you saw it once years ago, and long to see it again,” said Student Government Association (SGA) President Christian Houck ‘26 of the Gopher Hole, right before the long-dormant space was joyfully reopened. At 7:00pm on February 6th, 2026, the Gopher Hole hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony that announced a new era for a previously intangible piece of Goucher’s history and student life.
As The Quindecim has been dutifully covering, since 2018 there has been significant student demand for the space’s use. The Gopher Hole, once something that was little more than a dead end door to avoid mentioning on campus tours, is now a third space for students to perform, party, and socialize in.
According to SGA treasurer Deonte Lewis’ ‘26 tally count device, over 100 students showed up in just the first five minutes of the opening ceremony to enjoy the vibes, play foosball, or snap pictures. There was student artwork already displayed on the walls, an uptempo jazz playlist soundtracking the event on the massive flatscreen televisions, and even mocktails being served at the bar.
It wasn’t just current students who were privy to the celebration, though. There were a handful of alumni who seemed happy and nostalgic about the Gopher Hole’s return. Assistant Director of Alumnae/i Engagement & Philanthropy David Sibony ‘17 was among them. “The energy is great in here tonight,” said Sibony, who also recalled his fond memories with the Gopher Hole’s various coffeehouses, trivia, and open mic-type events in the past.
“We’re really proud of the students’ efforts to claim the Gopher Hole as their own,” said Alex Wood ‘06.
As for students’ wishes about the space’s future? “I hope it can promote student art and community,” Celeste Bawara ‘26 remarked.
“I’m ready to start the fight to get longer hours and food service,” said Max Ravnitzky ‘28 of the Gopher Hole’s current day-to-day availability.
When asked about the Gopher Hole’s hours, President Houck said “once we’ve proven that it functions as a space, it should hopefully be open much more.” Several students expressed hope that the Gopher Hole could be accessible 24/7 for clubs, homework, or other gatherings, which according to Houck could be in the space’s future. “It’s going to see an even higher use than it did in its heyday,” Houck hopes.
By Samuel Rose ’26
Featured Photo Credit: Bea Lieblein
Additional Photo Credit: Samuel Rose
