Spelman College - Campus

Campus

The Spelman campus consists of 26 buildings on 39 acres (160,000 m2) in Atlanta, Georgia.

Packard Hall, named for one of the founders, Sophia B. Packard. Packard was constructed in 1888 to contain extra residences for on-campus students. It remained a residence hall until 2003, when it was renovated as an administrative building. The building now houses the Office of Financial Aid, the Registrar, the Cashier, the Office of Student Accounts and the Office of Admissions and Enrollment Management.

Giles Hall, named for one of the founders, Harriet E. Giles. Giles Hall was renovated in 1996 and currently houses the Departments of Psychology, Sociology, Political Science, Education, Economics, and Art, as well as the Honors Program and the Learning Resources Center. It is also known amongst students for its "hellish staircase."

Morehouse-James Hall was completed in 1901, named for Henry L. Morehouse. It serves as a student residence hall. Until 2005 it served as a residence hall for upper-class students, but due to a large influx of first-year students that year, it served as a first-year residence hall.

MacVicar Hall was completed in 1901 and was originally the nursing school and clinical training office. It now houses the Women's Health Center, the Office of Counseling and Disability Services, and a small residence hall for the students who participate in Student Health Advocates and Peer Educators (SHAPE), a peer health education organization on campus.

Spelman presidents

Since its inception Spelman has had nine presidents:

  • Sophia B. Packard, (1888) founded women's seminary with Giles in a basement of historic African-American church, and cultivated Rockefeller support for the school


  • Harriet E. Giles, (1891) under whom the school granted its first college degrees


  • Lucy Hale Tapley, (1910) under whom the school decided to focus on higher education, the school officially became Spelman College (1927), and Sisters Chapel, one of the main buildings on campus, was erected.


  • Florence M. Read, (1927) a Mount Holyoke College graduate, under whom the school established an endowment fund of over $3 million, the school came into agreement with Atlanta University and Morehouse College to form the Atlanta University Center (later Clark-Atlanta University, Morris Brown College, Morehouse School of Medicine, and the Interdenominational Theological Center were added), the Arnett Library was built, and Spelman earned approval from the American Association of Universities;


  • Dr. Albert E. Manley (1953) (the first black and first male president of Spelman), under whom study abroad programs were established, the fine arts center was built, and three new residence halls and several classroom buildings were renovated. According to Howard Zinn, Manley tried to suppress the student civil rights movement that was taking place on campus during his tenure.


  • Dr. Donald M. Stewart, (1976) under which the departments of women's studies and chemistry were founded, and three strategic programs were formed: the Comprehensive Writing Program, the Women's Research and Resource Center, and the Ethel Waddell Githii Honors Program, and a continuing education department and a computer literacy program were established;


  • Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole (1987) (the first African American female president of Spelman), under whom the college received $20 million from Drs. William and Camille Cosby for the construction of the Cosby Academic Center and instituted the Cole Institute for Community Service;


  • Dr. Audrey F. Manley (1997) (the first alumna president of Spelman), under which Spelman gained a Phi Beta Kappa chapter, Spelman was accepted as a provisional member of NCAA Division III athletics, a Science Center was finished;


  • Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, (2002) who was appointed in 2002 after teaching and serving as an administrator for a number of years at Mount Holyoke College, and under whom the renovation of Sisters Chapel was begun

Reynolds Cottage, built in 1901 and remodeled in 1996, is the president's residence.

Bessie Strong Hall named after Elizabeth (Bessie) Rockefeller who married 1889 philosopher and psychologist Charles A. Strong, was constructed in 1917 and was renovated in 2003. It serves as a student residence for students in the WISDOM (Women In Spiritual Discernment of Ministry) program, and also houses the Dean of the chapel's office and prayer rooms. This residence hall was the main building used for the filming of the television series A Different World.

Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial Building, completed in 1918, was originally intended as a facility to train home economics teachers. It is named after Laura Spelman Rockefeller, John D. Rockefeller's wife, who was a primary contributor to Spelman. It now houses the Marian Wright Edelman Child Development Center, and also provides a student residence hall. It is typically referred to as "Laura Spelman" to avoid confusion with the many other buildings named after Rockefeller's relatives.

Sisters Chapel, completed and dedicated in 1927, contains an auditorium with a seating capacity of 1,050 and the Harreld James Organ, a three-manual Holtkamp organ of 53 ranks. This organ was installed in April 1968. In 1942 the Alumnae Association donated chimes for the Chapel, and in the fall of 2005 renovations were completed.

Read Hall, built in 1936, contains the gymnasium, the Department of Physical Education, a swimming pool and bowling alleys and dance studios. It was named for Spelman's fourth president, Florence Matilda Read.

Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Hall (commonly called 'Abby' by students) was built in 1952 and serves as a freshman residence hall. The hall was named for Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, the wife of John D. Rockefeller, Jr.

John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Fine Arts Building was completed in 1964 and houses the Departments of Music and Drama.

Dorothy Shepard Manley Hall, was completed in 1964 and was named for Dorothy Manley, wife of President Albert Manley, who contributed heavily to the decorating of the building. It now serves as a first-year residence hall.

Howard-Harreld Hall was built in 1968 and was named to honor two alumnae. It now serves as a first-year residence hall.

Sally Sage McAlpin Hall serves as an upper-class residence hall and was named in honor of a former chair of the Board of Trustees.

The Albert E. Manley College Center houses the Alma Upshaw Dining Room, the Lawrence J. MacGregor Board Room, administrative and student government offices, the snack shop, the commuter student lounge, and two concourses—Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman. Adjacent are the bookstore and the mail center.

The Donald and Isabel Stewart Living-Learning Center opened in the fall of 1983. In addition to housing 198 students from all classes, the building includes a large meeting room and quarters for visiting lecturers, scholars, and artists.

The Johnnetta B. Cole Living-Learning Center II opened September 1, 1989. The Center houses 200 students and provides conference facilities for on-campus and off-campus organizations, as well as houses the Offices of Housing and Residential Life and Continuing Education.

The Camille O. Hanks Cosby Academic Center, dedicated in February 1996, was made possible by a $20 million grant from Drs. Bill and Camille Cosby. This building houses the Departments of History, English, Religion & Philosophy, and World Languages and Literature. The center also houses the Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, the College Archives, an auditorium, the writing center, the Women's Research and Resource Center, reading rooms and a language resource center.

The Albro-Falconer-Manley Science Center was completed in 2000. This building houses the Departments of Biology, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Environmental Science as well as the Dual-Degree Engineering Program and the Office of Science, Engineering, and Technology Careers. It has a large auditorium donated by NASA. The "Science Center" also is a general term used to encompass Tapley Hall and the Academic Computing Center, both which predate the actual Science Center but are now connected to it by a series of breezeways.

In 2005, Spelman acquired the Milligan Building, an administrative building that previously housed the Atlanta University Center offices but now houses Spelman's Department of Career Services and the Office of Institutional Research, Assessment, and Planning. Spelman received a $10 million grant from Lehman Brothers in the fall of 2007 to establish an international business and global economics program, including a full service Chinese language program, at the college, and these programs are expected to be housed in the Milligan Building. Spelman shares the Robert W. Woodruff Library with the other Atlanta University Center institutions.

In 2008 Spelman completed the construction of a "green" residence hall behind the Living-Learning Center I. The residence hall has suite-style accommodations for upper-class students, including a second dining hall and a parking deck on the ground floor and is for now referred to as The Suites. Spelman's gates have been extended to encircle the new residence hall and the Milligan Building. The hall began housing students in the fall of 2008. In the fall of 2009 the Suites received a Silver LEED certification from the United States Green Building Council.

Read more about this topic:  Spelman College