The Student Lounge provides a place to hang out and relax after a hard day of college courses, but located inside is a special room that helps others feel more at home. On the second floor of the Student Union building, there is a room hidden in the corner that was made for students to engage in prayer or meditation while they are on campus. This Reflection Room, also known as the Wudu Room, is an example of how LMC’s Student Life department is striving to make everyone feel welcome.

Wudu is a cleansing ritual key to purity in Islam, which is performed before starting prayer. It’s a process that involves washing hands, mouth, nostrils, arms, face, ears, hair and feet. The Reflection Room provides the necessary washing facilities for this routine, however the room is open for all students of all religions.

Before COVID-19, Student Life took notice of students who would engage in prayers underneath staircases and wanted to create a room for them to help them feel more included.

Teresea Archaga, director of Student Life, said that if it weren’t for their advocacy, this room wouldn’t exist.

During the construction of the Student Union building, Student Life requested the inclusion of a room to give students the privacy they need when praying or meditating.

Jaime Salinas, a Student Life associate, was originally tasked with getting the word out about the Reflection Room. About three students per week now come in and ask to use the room, who Salinas considers as regulars.

“It’s getting a little more popular,” he said.

Once the spring semester begins, Salinas believes that Student Life will see more students come into the student lounge and use the room.

As for the students currently on campus, not many even know it’s there.

“I didn’t even know this room existed,” Gabriel Perez Cano said.

As a member of the Latinx club that meets in the student lounge, Cano has been to the lounge on more than one occasion, but this was his first time seeing the Reflection Room.

“I never knew about the story so I think this is definitely a great place for [students] to do prayers,” Cano said. 

The Reflection Room is free to rent for 30 minutes. Students can check in with Salinas or any Student Life associate in the student lounge for more information.