In Jan. 2023, renovations officially began on Elizabethtown College’s Royer Residence Hall. “Everyone was keeping their fingers and toes crossed that we would be ready to open for the fall semester,” Etown President Betty Rider said. Royer’s renovation boasts updated rooms, kitchens, bathrooms and lounge areas with new lighting, furniture, paint and flooring.
On a balmy Tuesday afternoon, administrators, students, staff members, contractors and partners alike gathered in the cool, air-conditioned lobby of Royer Residence Hall to see the ribbon-cutting ceremony, marking the opening of Etown’s newly renovated building.
The project had a focus on inclusivity, with all shower rooms updated to be gender inclusive as well as individualized for privacy. The new lobby features an ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessible lift which allows residents on the first floor to access the lobby without having to go around the building. Several of the dorm rooms, restrooms and laundry rooms are now ADA-compliant as well. Doorways have been widened for wheelchair accessibility, and an additional laundry room was put on the first floor.
The lobby features brand-new desks, chairs and couches, creating spaces for studying and socializing. The completely refurbished kitchen includes a sitting area, two ovens and a brand-new fridge, along with new gray countertops. The individual, pod-style bathrooms are each equipped with a stand-up shower, sink and toilet. There are two additional sinks in the common area outside of the pod bathrooms on each floor. The stairwells and walls have fresh paint on them with accent stripes and a color scheme that carries through the whole building.
Royer also houses Etown’s new Social Change Living Learning Community (LLC); a group that is focused on establishing community through the lens of transformation. This year, approximately twenty students chose to participate in this community where they will learn how to engage in critical conversations rooted in anti-racism, anti-oppression, race, white supremacy, intersectionality, identity and critical components of society.
This community was intentionally placed in the newly ADA-accessible residence hall which conveniently sits across from the Mosaic House–a multi-purpose space for activities on campus promoting inclusivity. “I’m looking forward to seeing this community learn and grow this year, and expand in years to come,” Director of Residence Life Tara Hoover said.
However, the project did not come without its challenges. “When you’re starting a project, you don’t know what you’re going to find when you tear down the windows and open the floors and we found a few surprises,” Vice President for Operations & Auxiliary Services Bob Kerin said.
These surprises put a strain on an already tight schedule, but because of the teamwork and amazing community that worked on the project, Royer Hall was able to be finished in time.
After remarks from Rider, Hoover and Kerin, the blue ribbon separating the lobby from the rest of the building was cut by Rider.
Royer Hall was first opened in 1962 and was named in honor of B. Mary Royer, an Etown alumni from the class of 1921. Royer served as a missionary in India from 1913-1947. She lived in a native house among the villagers and because of her immersion in the culture, Royer was able to fluently speak the native language. This helped her form deep bonds with the girls and women in the surrounding area. By the end of her time as a missionary, Royer had served four terms and was elected to represent the Second District of India on the Standing Committee. Royer’s dedication and mission to equality and helping others lives on at Royer Hall.
