Augustana University opens new Wagoner Hall dormitory

Augustana University officials opened its newest residence hall, Ralph H. Wagoner Hall, on Friday morning.

The hall is a home to hundreds of students already, and will become a home for students to come in the future, Augustana President Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin said. 

Ralph H. Wagoner Hall is named in honor of the university’s 21st President, who spoke at the ribbon cutting for the dorm on Friday.

More:Augustana University welcomes the largest first-year student class it's had since 1970

Wagoner pointed to the university’s five core values of community, service, excellence, liberal arts and Christianity, all values he helped develop from his time at Augustana in 1993 to 2000.

“It’s a great day to be a Viking,” Wagoner said.

The new dorm north of Bergsaker Hall and east of Solberg Hall contains 208 dorm rooms with two students to a room, dean of students Mark Blackburn said.

“The rooms are a brand new blank canvas in (students’) lives,” Blackburn said. “Now, they can infuse them with creativity and make them a home.”

More:Augustana University breaks ground on $50 million housing project

The first floor of the new hall contains a large kitchen, study rooms, meditation rooms, a conference room that students can book, hall director offices, a vending machine, a lounge, free laundry and an elevator for access to each of the floors.

Opening of the dorm is part of a $50 million housing plan at the university focused on new and enhanced facilities on campus. The $50 million went toward the new hall, as well as updates to Bergsaker and Solberg halls, and landscaping for the campus green.

The housing plan is part of the university’s strategic plan known as “Viking Bold: The Journey to 2030.”