Sparrowk Residence Hall
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Sparrowk Residence Hall first opened in 2001, making it the second to latest dormitory on campus. It is also the second residence hall located on the northern half of campus, featuring its own parking and connected to the "main hub" via a paved pathway. Originally named North Campus Hall (or NCH), Sparrowk Hall received its name in 2007. Located nearby is The Grove, an outdoor hangout spot for students including picnic tables and lights strung throughout the trees.
Images
Sparrowk Hall, 2024
The Grove outside Sparrowk Hall
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
Sparrowk Residence Hall was built in 2000 with a groundbreaking ceremony in March of that year. The building opened on January 14, 2001 and was dedicated on February 2, 2001 under the name of North Campus Hall – or NCH, as it was soon called. With the addition of this residence hall, the on-campus population of the university jumped to over 1,000 students for the first time in the university's history. At the time, Eastern had agreed to a limit of 1,000 students living on campus, so NCH was imagined to be the last dormitory to be built on campus (a fact that changed seven years later when Eagle Residence Hall was built).
NCH was later named Sparrowk Hall on October 19, 2007 in memory of Drs. John and Cora Sparrowk. Dr. Cora was a board of trustees member for over twenty years, donated $1 million to the university, and was present at the ribbon cutting ceremony, along with then-President of the University, Dr. David Black, and Mr. W. Donald Gough, '67 alumni and board member himself.
Sparrowk Hall is 45,815 total square feet, with three levels, 79 rooms, and 180 beds. There is also a seminar room that doubles as a classroom, and an apartment for the Resident Director. Parking for the residence hall stretches along the front of the building, following the U-shape of the dormitory. The building is split between East and West wings, with triples containing community bathrooms to the west and double suites on the east.
Sources
"Sparrowk Hall." Folder in Eastern University Archives. Located at Warner Memorial Library, Eastern University, St. Davids, PA, 19087.
"Introducing Sparrowk Hall." The Waltonian. Vol. 9, Issue 4. October 17, 2007. https://rescarta.eastern.edu/ResCarta-Web/jsp/RcWebImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=fc939b89-3753-40ae-8e8c-1b3f77ac7a27/easa0000/20110817/00000728
"Ground Breaking Ceremony Held." The Waltonian. Vol. 1, Issue 7. April 12, 2000. https://rescarta.eastern.edu/ResCarta-Web/jsp/RcWebImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=fc939b89-3753-40ae-8e8c-1b3f77ac7a27/easa0000/20110817/00000626
"North Campus Hall Opens Its Doors." The Waltonian, Vol. 2, Issue 7. February 7, 2001. https://rescarta.eastern.edu/ResCarta-Web/jsp/RcWebImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=fc939b89-3753-40ae-8e8c-1b3f77ac7a27/easa0000/20110817/00000634
"North Campus Hall: A Beginning and an Ending." The Waltonian. Vol. 2, Issue 8. February 21, 2001. https://rescarta.eastern.edu/ResCarta-Web/jsp/RcWebImageViewer.jsp?doc_id=fc939b89-3753-40ae-8e8c-1b3f77ac7a27/easa0000/20110817/00000635