As students return to their dorms after summer break, South Quad residents are likely to notice a change in their everyday view. Where Fisher and Pangborn Halls once stood now lies an empty plot of land, as construction crews begin the work of building two new residence halls, one of which will be a women’s dorm named Grojean Hall. The grass in front of Rockne Memorial Gym has also been torn up amidst the construction.
The dorms were demolished earlier this summer as part of residential life’s new dorm plan, announced in October of last year. Although work will continue on the new residence halls for the next two years, residents of Fisher Hall will move into Zahm Hall this year while former residents of Pangborn Hall will move into the newly completed Graham Family Hall.
Graham Family Hall, situated on East Quad just south of Johnson Family Hall, is set to welcome 210 students this year. Among them are 80 incoming freshmen, 110 former Pangborn residents and 20 transfer students. With a capacity of 265, Graham Family Hall offers significantly more space than Pangborn Hall, which was capped at 160 students. The new residence features a variety of room options, including singles, doubles, quads and six-person suites. In addition to amenities like a gym, study lounges and multiple kitchens, Graham Family Hall contains a central archway, providing a path through the heart of the hall. Another standout feature of Graham is the Chapel of Saint Augustine, which seats up to 265.
Junior Brendan Nolte, a former resident of Pangborn and current resident of Graham, expressed a feeling of excitement at moving into the newly constructed dorm.
“We’re obviously super excited and thankful to be moving into the best dorm on campus and can’t wait to welcome 100 new residents into the long and storied Royal tradition,” he said. “Even though our home has gotten an upgrade, we hope to continue with the traditions and culture that helped Pangborn earn the Palace title in the last few years.”
Junior Graham Family Hall resident Liam Kempf similarly emphasized he wasn’t worried about the transition from Pangborn to Graham.
“I think the community is great. We built a great community in Pangborn that will definitely transfer over even though we’re in a completely new building,” Kempf said.
Former residents of Fisher Hall face a similar situation to the former Pangborn residents, although their stint in Zahm Hall will last only two years, before they move into the new men’s residence hall being constructed on the site of Fisher. Like residents of Graham, however, the new inhabitants of Zahm Hall, which famously became a swing dorm in 2021 after the men’s community there was disbanded, appear to be unfazed by the change in scenery.
Junior Fisher resident Mathew Bourke Doherty said that besides the longer walk to South Dining Hall, he doesn’t mind the move to Zahm.
“Fisher was never really about the building anyway,” he explained.
Emily Orisini, program director for new students and formation programs, expressed optimism about Fisher residents’ transition to Zahm Hall in an email to The Observer.
“It’s an exciting time for the men of Fisher,” Orisini wrote. “Preparing to form a new community allows the students to be creative and thoughtful about what traditions worked well and how programming could possibly be improved as the community grows and begins a new chapter.”
