Washington State University, located in Pullman, Washington, has a vast Residence Hall System that is comprised of 18 different buildings, and houses close to 4,000 students. Each one of the Halls offers different options when it comes to studies, the students that live on the premises, and proximity to certain things on the campus. Spread around the entire WSU-Pullman campus, the buildings are a very cognizable part of WSU, and often stand out amongst the many academic buildings. Choosing which one of these halls to live in when you first come to WSU can become a difficult choice if you aren’t educated about the different opportunities, but my hope is that I can shed some light on specific areas that each of these halls stands out from the rest.
Southern Campus:
At the southern part of the WSU campus, you will find the Stephenson Complex (consisting of Stephenson East, North and South) as well as Gannon-Goldsworthy Halls. These two building complexes typically house Freshman students who are just starting out at WSU, and try to gear programs toward creating communities of like interests. If you choose to live in Stephenson North for example, you are enrolled in several Freshman Focus courses designed to present like classes of English and World Civilizations to other people in your hall. This makes it easier to find study-groups, and learning with your direct peers can help the educational process. In the Stephenson Complex you will find a nice convenience store, an Espresso Bar, and a vast computer lab that will cater to any of your computer needs.
Over in the Gannon-Goldsworthy complex, you will find the math, science, and engineering students at WSU. Freshman that live here are interested in those fields for possible majors, and are entered into Freshman Focus classes such as chemistry and math so as to create another study atmosphere. They offer plenty of tutoring for these tough courses, also have their own computer lab, and are located right next to one of the main dining centers. Both Gannon-Golds and Stephenson are Co-Ed, with the sexes either alternating wings or floors within the halls.
The Age Restricted Halls:
If you are someone going back to school after being away for a while, or someone that has been at the school and just enjoys living in the residence halls, they also offer three halls designed to cater to older students. By living there you don’t deal with the Freshmen on campus, and you can live a more laid-back sort of life. The three halls that work in this fashion are Rogers, Orton, and McEachern, which as also located on the south side of campus. Rogers and Orton are 12 story towers that have single rooms geared towards providing comfort, and McEachern provides single apartment-type rooms that are split up sort of like bungalow’s. In these halls you can have the peace and quiet that some students are looking for, and often students in the graduate programs will find these the most endearing. These halls are also considered some of the better ones due to recent remolding, and you end up with some very nice single rooms.
North Campus:
Clear on the other side of campus, you have several other complexes that also have a lot of Freshman students, but may appeal to different students. Scott-Coman, Streit-Perham, and Regents Halls comprise this group. Living over here you find yourself with different options for those Freshman Focus courses, with Streit having Anthropology and Theatre, Perham having Geology and Sociology, Regents having Anthropology and Fine Arts, and Scott-Coman being more geared towards Political Science and Economics. Each of the halls offers something different to start with, but you don’t have to major in one of these selections, as they are all requirements to eventually graduate. Those students living on this side of campus have a dining center within Regents Hall, a computer lab at Streit-Perham, and quick access to the sporting complexes right across the street. This includes the football, basketball, and baseball stadiums, so if you are interested in sports this could be the side of campus that turns out to be the most appealing. Regents Hall is a women’s only Hall, while the other two complexes are Co-Ed.
Central Campus:
If you want to be basically in the center of campus, near where most of the classes are held, and amidst the academic buildings, then the “Hill Halls” are what could best suit your needs. Up here is where you can find the International Hall (McCroskey) where most international students choose to live, Honors Hall, where students in the Honors Program call Home, three Men’s only Halls (Waller, Stimson, and Duncan-Dunn), and three additional Women’s only Halls (Community, Stevens, and Wilmer-Davis). When it comes to these men’s and women’s halls at the center of campus, you find more of a tradition based system, where many people return in subsequent years and where it isn’t rare to find upperclassmen. They are slightly smaller halls, but they have a lot of history, and living in one of them could introduce you to live long friends. Being near all the classrooms is a big benefit to living in one of these halls, meaning your walk around campus doesn’t have to be that extensive. The Honors and International Halls are pretty self explanatory, catering to the needs of each group and offering programs that help to assist the learning process for each group. These halls are all relatively close to the Student Union Building as well, so you are always near the center of attention when living on the hill.
A Quick Overview:
As you can see there is a vast selection when it comes to the residence halls on campus, and each one caters to a different set of people. If you are interested in learning even more about the halls, or in taking a virtual tour, you can visit here: The Residence Life Hall Tours Site
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