Students can relax beside the fireplace in the freshly renovated and updated Hotz Hall, which will house 400 first-year honors students beginning in fall 2013.
Pomfret Honors Quarters has long contributed to the thriving intellectual presence of the Honors College on campus. The dormitory is famous for its fresh-baked cookies, friendly RAs and vibrant social scene but has remained relatively unchanged since it was constructed in 1968. Beginning next fall, Honors College students can look forward to some exciting brick-and-mortar improvements to both Hotz and Ozark Halls that will make life in the honors community even more enjoyable, fostering community 24/7.
Work is currently underway on Hotz Hall, which is returning to its original use as a men’s and women’s dorm, with extensive renovations and updated amenities planned for honors students. Once complete, Hotz Hall will house 400 first-year honors students in traditional two-person rooms, which Honors College Dean Bob McMath believes are the best fit for new students. Suite-style rooms are sometimes more attractive to young students because of the privacy factor, but according to Dean McMath, “there is strong evidence that living in a suite-style residence hall makes it more difficult for new students to develop strong friendships in their living area. Walk down a hallway in traditional-style dorms late at night and you’ll see students studying together or just hanging out. You don’t see as much of that with suites.”
Each floor will have a study area and alcoves for TV viewing and video gaming.
Each floor will offer study areas, alcoves for secluded TV viewing and video gaming, and spa-style bathrooms with multiple shower facilities that have been reconfigured for greater privacy. Upperclassmen may remember the grand schlep up the hill from Pomfret to mainstream campus, but the new residents of Hotz Hall will have no such feelings of isolation (or exertion). Situated in the heart of the northwest housing block, students living in the new facility will have direct access to neighboring dorms and dining facilities, as well as the Campus Community Garden, a recent student initiative that provides fresh produce for student volunteers and the Full Circle Campus Food Pantry. The nearby Garland Avenue Shopping Center offers quick access to textbooks, school supplies, several restaurants and boutiques, and a small-scale pharmacy and grocery store.
The close proximity of Hotz Hall to upper-level honors students housed in Reid Hall, the north Quad and Maple Hill dormitories will foster even greater interaction between these groups, and the Honors College is exploring some exciting programming possibilities in each new space. “We’ll continue with popular programs like Trivia Night, the holiday Gingerbread House contest, dinners for pre-med students – all the stuff you’d expect, but on a larger scale that expands beyond freshmen to include all honors students,” said Noah Pittman, assistant director of recruitment for the Honors College. “We’re looking at adding some new events as well.”
Hotz Hall will have a small theater for viewing movies; bring your own popcorn.
The renovated facility will boast a large space for relaxation on the main floor, similar to the Great Room in Pomfret, where students can gather to play ping-pong and pool, watch movies, and read near the fireplace. A computer lounge, music room, conference rooms and small theater will be available for student use as well.
“The opportunity for us here is not only to have a first-year community, but for freshmen to mingle with upper-level students and learn from them as well as professors,” says McMath.
On the other side of campus, next door to Old Main, construction is well under way on the Honors College’s new home, a 21,000-square-foot addition to historic Ozark Hall (check out our webcam). The renovations will bring all administrative offices of the Honors College under one roof and also feature a spacious student lounge, group study areas, and an outdoor courtyard where students can meet, study, and kick back. Plans are being discussed to host after-dark events like film screenings, poetry slams, mock trials and mixers in Ozark Hall, as well as Hotz Hall, that will attract honors students of all levels. Stay tuned for more information about upcoming Honors College programming in the fall!
