First residence hall opens at Penn State Brandywine
MIDDLETOWN » Since its founding in 1967, Penn State Brandywine has been an all-commuter campus. That status is about to change.
Brandywine will soon be among 11 of the system’s 20 Commonwealth campuses to offer housing. Its first live-ins will arrive Aug. 17.
“Most of the students are freshmen, although we do have some upperclassmen,” said Elizabeth Kearns, director of housing and food services. “We’ve tried to assign the rooms so that the upperclassmen are on their own floor.”
Approved in 2015, the project includes the four-story, L-shaped building accommodating 250, approximately 20 percent of the student population. As of July, contracts had been signed with 229 individuals.
The building is accompanied by a two-story, 31,000-squarefoot student union with the Lion’s Den, a student gathering space, campus bookstore, large conference space that can be divided into four smaller areas, student affairs office and eatery to meet the needs of the entire campus. The amenities replace those currently in the Commons building and will be open early morningmidnight.
Orchard Hall will address the whole student. The typical rooms, with adjustable beds and underneath storage space, desks and chairs, wardrobes and a combination refrigerator/freezer/microwave, are augmented with a community kitchen, club and meeting space, TV room and laundry area.
“The residence hall is a living, learning community,” said Kearns. “It is an extension of the classroom.”
The facility is vision and hearing impaired adapted and wheelchair accessible, although the elevator has been eyed by all.
“#ThankGodThereIsAnElevator has become a pretty popular hashtag,” she said.
The residence hall will be coed by room with gender-neutral bathrooms. The building is card access, each floor will have a student resident counselor and the facility will be staffed 24/7 by the resident life coordinator and assistant director of resident life.
At Brandywine, the word “dorm” is as outdated as the student cafeteria serving the proverbial mystery meat. The Blue Apple Café, with seating for 300, offers Starbucks, items from the Penn State Creamery and Bakery, pasta and wood fired pizza, a grill, deli, salads and entrée table. Using their Penn State ID cards, students, faculty and staff can make à la carte selections. “Students want to make choices,” said Kearns. “If they only want a granola bar, they don’t want to pay for an entire meal.”
While the concept of a physical mailbox may seem equally old school, the student union contains the necessary component of 2017 life.
“Our students are shoppers,” said Kearns. “They get an email when a package arrives.”
Although ascending to University Park is often seen as the ultimate Penn State goal, living in Centre County among nearly 46,000 students is not for everyone. Some enroll in the 2+2 plan, allowing them to begin locally and eliminating the need to reapply as juniors. Others appreciate the opportunity to remain in Delaware County and Brandywine offers baccalaureate degrees in 12 of the university’s 160 majors.
“The best thing about the residence hall is that it has not changed the design of the campus,” said Kearns. “It offers students different options.”