Sister Thea Bowman Hall officially opened its doors Aug. 21. The new first-year residence hall, which houses more than 500 students, also includes a new office for Counseling and Psychological Services and is home to the Health Professions Residential Learning and McConnell Scholars Program communities.
The residence hall is named after Sister Thea Bowman, an educator, evangelist and voice for social justice. Bowman, who is one of seven Black Catholics on the canonization path for sainthood, was a voice for inclusivity and racial justice within the Catholic Church.
Construction of the building began in fall 2024 and is continuing throughout the current academic year until completion. During the week of Sept. 8, work on the side of the building facing City Avenue, including the courtyard and gateway tower, will continue. elevators three and four are expected to be inspected and ready for use in coming weeks, which may include more fire alarm testing.
“While a few finishing touches remain, including exterior stonework, courtyard and gateway landscaping and the indoor/outdoor lounge, the building has already become a vibrant home for students,” Kevin Gfeller, associate director of public relations in the Office of Marketing and Communications, wrote in an email to The Hawk. Gfeller collected information from the Office of Administrative Services, the Office of Facilities Management and the Office of Residence Life.
For current resident Hannah Lowe ’29, the difficulties of living with the construction are worth it for the finished product.
“Beautiful building, but you can tell that it’s not done,” Lowe said. ”And obviously construction, and the faulty fire alarms, and just the construction in general is loud. It is annoying, but I know it’s needed. I’d rather be in a finished building and get all the work done now than it be prolonged.”
Accessibility and inclusion were top priorities in its design, Gfeller said. Some of the ADA-compliant amenities include accessible entrances to the building, private bathrooms for residents with medical accommodations and spaces for students with hearing impairments.
The building is also on track for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification. Some sustainable features include stormwater management systems and furniture crafted from repurposed trees that were removed during construction.
“It is also believed to be the largest structure in Philadelphia to be heated and cooled entirely by geothermal energy, which will soon be paired with solar panels,” Gfeller said.
Sister Thea Bowman Hall is the first gender-inclusive first-year residence hall on Hawk Hill. Enio Grabocka ’29 said the gender-inclusive design has helped support his social life.
“Due to it being a co-ed floor, you get the opportunity to interact with a bunch of different people,” Grabocka said. “We just did dorm tours on the fourth floor, and now, every one of us is very close, and we all hang out every day.”
Sister Thea Bowman Hall, Gfeller said, is now the largest building on the Hawk Hill campus at 222,000 square feet. It houses 40% of the first-year class.
“The building was designed to bring the students together through flexible lounges, study spaces and gathering areas that make it easy to collaborate on group projects, attend programs or simply spend time with friends,” Gfeller said.
The community fostered in the building has been supportive for Lowe during her first few weeks on campus.
“It’s so welcoming because everyone’s in the same situation,” Lowe said. “That made me feel better, knowing that people are there for you.”
