The Student Health Center’s Dawg Lounge includes the newly named Lou and Debby Callen Ocean Room. SIU Carbondale photo
May 21, 2026
Lou and Debby Callen Ocean Room ceremony set for May 27 at SIU
CARBONDALE, Ill. — A special naming ceremony is set for May 27 to officially recognize the Student Health Center’s Lou and Debby Callen Ocean Room.
The room is one of three themed stress management lounges at the facility, designed especially to help students relax and de-stress.
The Ocean Room, a student favorite, is the beneficiary of a generous donation from the Callens to fund continued use and ongoing improvements to the space. Lou and Debby Callen will attend the 11 a.m. ceremony, which is open to the public.
In recent months, a variety of improvements and upgrades have been made there, including installation of a new massage chair and calming features including a canopy and a water bubble feature, making visitors feel as if they are in the ocean.
The Dawg Lounge also comprises the Desert and Rainforest Rooms, and each are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The lounge offers art and coping tools, a light machine and more. The private relaxation rooms each feature massage chairs and soothing accessories. Support dogs are in house every Tuesday and Thursday when classes are in session and the lounge also features monthly calming craft activities.
“SIU students, Student Affairs and the Student Health Center are grateful to the Callens for their gift to enhance this student experience on campus,” said Brian Flath, director of development for student affairs for the SIU Foundation. “These relaxation spaces are essential for students as they navigate the stresses of their educational journey.”