Nichole Davila-Sanchez, Staff Writer

In December of 2015, ground was broken for new dormitories on Shenandoah University’s main campus. The Village, as it is called, is located behind Goodson Chapel and the Aikens Athletic Center and will consist of five buildings, two of which are currently under construction. Once completed, the Village will be able to house 120 students, according to President Tracy Fitzsimmons, Ph.D.

“Now more than ever, our students want to remain on campus beyond the freshman and sophomore year residency requirement,” she said. “Our campus housing has moved from a ‘have to’ for your first two years at Shenandoah to a ‘get to’ beyond that.”

Caruthers House, named for Preston C. Caruthers and the late Jeanne Caruthers, both known for their devotion to the Shenandoah University students, is the first house of the Village dorms to be constructed, and is scheduled for completion in the summer of this year, just in time for the fall semester.

“[Mr. Caruthers] said that he wanted to make a major gift to the university,” President Fitzsimmons recalled, “because he knew we were talking about how much we needed housing.”

The Village is being designed by Earl Swensson Associates (ESa) of Nashville, Tenn., who also designed the Health and Life Sciences Building that opened in the Fall of 2014. According to the SU website, each of the three-story buildings in the Village will have two apartments per floor, of approximately 1,600 square feet. Each apartment which will have access to personal outdoor space; the ground floor will have a patio, the second floor apartments will enjoy a veranda, and the third floor occupants will be able to relax within screened porches. The first floor of the Caruthers House will also have a handicap accessible bedroom and restroom.

The student residents will enjoy four single-occupancy bedrooms with extra long twin beds, two bathrooms, a fully-equipped kitchen with refrigerator, dishwasher and stove, living and dining spaces, laundry services, and an entryway coat closet. Community amenities for The Village will include a sand volleyball court, outdoor grill, and fire pit.

The Village housing complex is a gift from the faculty and employees of Shenandoah University to the students, in recognition of all the hard work and sacrifice given by each and every growing scholar.

Feature photo by Doah photographer, Ghadah Alotaibi