This August, the former residents of Pangborn Hall ventured across campus to the newly constructed Graham Family Hall, where they have now settled into their new home.
The hall, which was the gift of Tracy and Kerie Graham, is the latest in a string of new residence halls which have been constructed since the announcement of the three-year residency requirement for undergraduate students in 2017. Currently, Coyle Hall and Grojean Hall are being constructed on the former sites of Fisher Hall and Pangborn Hall respectively.
Graham Family Hall sits on East Quad between the East Campus Research Complex and Johnson Family Hall, standing at four stories and 79,000 square feet. Graham Hall incorporates Notre Dame's campus architectural style through its neo-Gothic features, including its distinctive arch. It is home to approximately 262 students, including first-years, transfer students and former Pangborn residents.
Residents of the new hall praised Graham’s proximity to Hesburgh Library and Duncan Student Center.
“The proximity to the library I would say has certainly been the most advantageous aspect of our new location, but South Quad will always be missed,” Graham Hall student senator Joseph Leupold said.
The hall offers a variety of room types, including singles, doubles, quads, and six-man dorms. On the first floor, there are many community spaces, reading rooms and a hall chapel, as is customary in all residence halls at Notre Dame. Notably, unlike Pangborn, Graham features air conditioning for its residents.
The room sizes and formations are also different.
“By having common spaces with no walls and an extension of the hallway, it creates an inviting space that is a hub for building community,” Junior Graham resident Dominic Lampo said. Additionally, residents have access to an outdoor patio, fitness facilities and kitchens, providing them with a multitude of spaces to study and socialize throughout the building.
“Despite the special place that Pangborn holds in all of our hearts, there is certainly a new level of appreciation for the physical luxury it feels like we are living in now,” Leupold said.
Graham has retained Pangborn’s colors of purple and gold and its motto “Go and Do Likewise.”
Graham houses almost twice as many residents as Pangborn did. Despite its size and being the newest dorm on campus, Graham has already developed a tight-knit community, freshman Connor Farrell said.
“We are always hosting fun events like outdoor cookouts and building the best culture out of all the dorms,” he said.
While former residents of Pangborn say they fondly remember their old home, residents said they were excited to be part of the close-knit community and dorm culture of Graham Hall.
“In its entirety, it is never easy to start a new community, but everyone here has embraced the responsibility and is having loads of fun in the process,” Graham resident assistant Suhas Nelaturi said.
