Although the school year has just started, Peddie is already preparing for the future.

The construction of new dorms, Kaye and Green, are scheduled to be complete by the summer 2016, while the Fabrication Lab, also known as the Fab Lab, is scheduled to be complete by winter term.

The Kaye dorm is expected to be split into north and south divisions. Holding a total of 60 students and four faculty apartments, it will feature larger lounge spaces, more room in terms of square feet per student, and more opportunities and spaces for students to interact with each other, according to Dean of Students Martin Mooney.

“They will certainly be an improvement over the Kerr dorms, and the rooms will also be of the same size and similar configurations of what we have in Caspersen, Mariboe, and the Potters,” Mooney said.

“I’m really excited for the new dorms to be finished. I’m also happy that the rooms will resemble those of Caspersen, since it is my favorite dorm,” Christine Ayoh ’17 said.

Despite plans for the construction of more dormitories in the future, “the campus master plan is also a blueprint for changes to the campus that happen over a long period of time –  fifty years or more,” Mooney said.

In addition to the new living spaces, students can also look forward to the Fab Lab, which is currently being relocated beside the Swig Arts Center. The new lab features improved technology that will allow students to create 3D models.

“The Digital Fabrication Lab (DFL) helps bridge the gap between theory and practice, and encourages students to think creatively, innovate, and engage with authentic project-based work,” Scott Meredith, a robotics teacher, said.

Students who have a passion for creating software and hardware can also participate in the First Robotics Competition (FRC) team at Peddie. Students will be able to design and build a 120lb robot during the winter, and then enter their robot in tournaments and national competitions.

“Students gain valuable experience working with professional level tools and software, and also develop their leadership and collaboration skills working as a part of a large and diverse team,” Meredith said.

“Programming has always been one of my interests at Peddie, so I naturally signed up for the FRC team. I’m excited to get started and to see all the new features that the lab has to offer,” said Seijin Kim ’17.