ABERDEEN, S.D. – Housing applications are up 20 percent from last spring at Northern State University as more students are attracted to the university’s new residence halls.
As of March 1, 157 new students have applied to live at Northern this fall, said NSU Director of Residence Life Marty Sabolo. That compares to 127 housing applications last year at this time, and 89 the previous year.
Sabolo said the rising application numbers can be attributed to three new, modern residence halls on campus: Wolves Memorial Suites, which opened in fall 2017; and Great Plains West and Great Plains East, both set to open in fall 2018.
“I think it’s what today’s students really want, especially the suite-style rooms,” Sabolo said.
The appeal of suites reflects how living situations have changed over the years. Thirty years ago, Sabolo said, students moving to college were coming from homes with five or six family members and only two or three bedrooms. Today, families often have one or two kids but four or five bedrooms. Sharing space isn’t something today’s youth are used to.
Similarly, they’re used to modern amenities – air-conditioning, in particular, is the number one question NSU Residence Life gets asked from potential students.
Offerings Set NSU Apart
That sort of feature, along with conference rooms and study rooms offered in the new halls, has essentially caught Northern up with trends, Sabolo said. But NSU is also including more unique offerings in the two newest facilities – including a Papa John’s Pizza, convenience store and game-cleaning room – which set the university apart.
“I really believe that regionally, Northern is going to be the one that people are keeping up with,” Sabolo said.
More New Facilities
Northern’s campus has even more growth planned, and Sabolo said the new residence halls have led the way. When Wolves Memorial Suites was first announced, some students were skeptical as to whether a new, state-of-the-art residence hall would become a reality. Now that it has, he said, it’s increased anticipation of Northern’s other upcoming projects, including the Regional Science Education Center, regional sports complex, and athletic and recreation fields.
“I think students are more excited about coming to Northern,” Sabolo said.
Space Still Available
Despite the big jump in housing applications, there’s still plenty of space because NSU built student growth into its housing plans, Sabolo said. To apply, fill out a housing application online, contact NSU Residence Life at 605-626-3007 or reslife@northern.edu, or learn more at the NSU Residence Life webpage.
About Northern State University
Northern State University is a regional university that offers outstanding academics and exceptional extracurricular activities at an affordable price on a safe, welcoming campus. Northern State recently announced its Educational Impact Campaign, with a goal of raising $45 million for a new South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, new athletic and recreation fields, and an on-campus regional sports complex. Once the campaign is complete, NSU will be the recipient of more than $100 million in privately funded building projects and scholarships within a decade. To learn more, visit NSU Admissions.