Omaha, Nebraska
The names that appear on the newest Creighton University residence hall are a testament to the lifelong friendships they can nurture. Graves Hall, opened in August 2023, is the first residence hall Creighton has built and dedicated exclusively to first-year students since the 1960s. It is was named for Lee Graves, who received a bachelor's and law degree from Creighton, and his wife, Judy. As Graves noted, residence halls are more than places for students to live; they are a place to connect. “You build these lifelong relationships that grow out of the nucleus of the people you live with on campus. With this new building, Creighton can give students an even greater opportunity to create the connections they’ll carry with them for the rest of their lives.”
The hall is constructed around the Simpson Family Courtyard, made possible by Jim Simpson, another Creighton graduate, and his wife, Kathy, who are close friends of the Graves family. The courtyard serves as an active social space with artificial turf (which can be turned into a volleyball court), live garden beds and trees, fire pits, multiple seating areas, and a bocce ball court.
Graves Hall is a 410-bed, suite-style building. Each suite includes two bedrooms and a shared bathroom, complemented by kitchenettes on each floor. Additionally, the hall features 16 ADA-accessible double rooms and four private singles, along with resident advisor singles, catering to a variety of accommodations. The first floor boasts a large communal kitchen and lounge for all residents, and the corner of each building contains common spaces for studying, socializing, or playing. The hall is also the first building in North America to feature VirtuHOT HD, a solar energy system that heats the residence hall's water.
The lower-level floor features classroom and meeting spaces, as well as a student hub that includes two student coaching offices (in collaboration with Student Success), an interfaith prayer space, and an exercise gym programmed in collaboration with the Recreation + Wellness office. Each of these spaces is accessible to all members of the community. The hall is also host to the Freshman Leadership Program, a living-learning community on the fourth floor. — Camille Perlman
Spotlight is your chance to show off recent construction or renovation projects. Member institutions and architects are encouraged to share details about hall features, related programs, and how they connect to the overall housing mission as well as photographs of the completed building. Share your success stories.