Morehouse College launched its 158th anniversary weekend with a historic groundbreaking ceremony for its new residence hall. This marks the first new construction at the all-male institution in more than two decades since 2003.
“This is a historic moment for the college and, quite frankly, for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) here in Atlanta and around the country because it will be a model of what is possible,” said Morehouse President, David A. Thomas.
The residence hall is part of the Campus of the Future Capital Campaign, a pillar of the Making Men of Consequence Campaign, which aims to modernize and expand the campus to elevate the student experience and keep Morehouse competitive among top national liberal arts colleges. The institution is working to raise $500 million for the campaign, which will fund student scholarships, athletics, innovative academic programs, faculty recruitment, and research.
Vice President of the Office of Institutional Advancement, Hodan Hassan, emphasized that this development is a crucial step toward providing students with a top-tier learning and living environment.
President Thomas shared that over $320 million has already been raised, with $170 million allocated for the residence hall. He acknowledged the challenge of meeting the campaign’s ambitious goal but drew inspiration from Morehouse’s historic resilience.
“We overcame it in the same way at Morehouse’s inception,” Thomas said. “There was doubt whether a college for formerly enslaved men was innovative or was possible or could be funded. We’re basically showing that Morehouse still swims in the same stream of boldness and opportunity to educate young Black men.”
The five-story, 324-bed living facility will span over 88,000 square feet and include a green space, lounge area, technology room and labs, and a welcome center.
Further bolstering campus expansion efforts, Morehouse recently received a $20 million grant from the Woodruff Foundation to support its next major project—a 58,000-square-foot Campus Center. This new facility will feature a dining hall, rooftop plaza, and dedicated spaces for students, faculty, and alumni to gather.
“We still need $28 million to begin breaking ground,” Thomas said. “We hope that our community of support will continue to invest in building the campus of the future so that we can provide more state-of-the-art spaces for our scholars to live, learn, and grow into the men of distinction and consequence that they are destined to be.”
Hassan reiterated that Morehouse students deserve an exceptional environment where they can develop their talents, fuel their passions, and become future leaders, entrepreneurs, public servants, and innovators.
Thomas called on alumni, parents, partners, and friends to help invest in Morehouse’s next phase of construction.
Click here to learn more about the Campus of the Future and donate to the Making Men of Consequence fund.