August 18, 2010

Contact:   Stacey Schmeidel, 704/894-2798

Roy and Sue Davis with President Tom Ross during a recent visit by the Davises to campus.

Davidson, NC -- Davidson College has received a gift of $1 million from J. Roy Davis, Jr. '55 and his wife, Sue. Roy Davis, a former trustee, is the chair emeritus of S&D Coffee Company in Concord, N.C., where he lives.

In recognition of this gift, Davidson's new apartment residence hall will be named Davis Hall. The building will open and become home to 60 students when the spring semester begins in mid-January 2011. The college has also recently added the Davis name to the Alvarez College Union Café to honor the Davises for their longstanding dedication to the college.

"Roy and Sue Davis have been among Davidson's strongest supporters," noted Davidson President Tom Ross. "Their generosity over many years has allowed the college to enhance the quality of student life, both in the residence halls and in our community spaces. The timing of this gift is especially helpful, as it has allowed us to undertake an important project at a critical time."

Roy Davis noted, "As I age, I realize more each day what a Davidson educational experience meant in shaping the man I am, and I am eternally grateful to Davidson for that experience."

The January opening of Davis Hall will allow Davidson to address a pressing need. More than 170 students typically choose to study abroad during the fall semester, but in the spring only 60-70 are away. This imbalance leaves the college with every bed filled during the fall semester, and a big challenge in finding enough rooms for everyone during the spring. The addition of Davis Hall will ameliorate the situation.

President Ross also noted that the gift allows Davidson to undertake this important construction project in an economic climate favorable to the college.

Roy Davis has been an active Davidson alumnus, serving as an Annual Fund chair, an organizer of class reunions, a regional leader in Davidson fundraising campaigns and a member of the Parents Council. He also is a proud Davidson parent: His son and daughter-in-law, current trustee E. Rhyne Davis and Lisa Eldridge Davis, graduated from Davidson in 1986.

Artists rendering of Davis Hall

Construction on Davis Residence Hall began in February. The 24,700-square-foot building is located on Patterson Court between Flowe Residence Hall and Turner Eating House. Davidson College Project Supervisor Ronnie Shirley said Davis Hall is on track for Silver level LEED certification, a designation the college intends to uphold in all construction projects. (LEED stands for "Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design" and is the standard used to judge the environmental friendliness of a building.) Among many other items, that designation sets standards for reduced water use, eco-friendly landscaping, collection of recyclables, use of regional construction materials, efficient lighting and low fume-emitting paints and adhesives.

The floor plan of the four-story masonry building is very similar to other Martin Court Apartments. It will feature four apartments for four students each on the top three floors, and three apartments on the ground floor. The ground floor will also include a large multipurpose room that can be used for studying, meetings, and social events.

Davis Hall meets standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and one apartment on each floor includes a roll-in shower (the rest have transfer showers). The building includes both hard-wired and wireless Internet connections, and each apartment has one land-line telephone.

The general contractor is Rodgers Builders of Charlotte, which has worked on many of the college's major construction projects in recent history. Davidson College employees are supporting the Rodgers crews by landscaping the site and installing water lines, outdoor lighting, communications wiring and the One Card access system.

Associate Dean of Students and Director of Residence Life Patty Perillo said the first residents of the new hall will be 60 students returning from fall semester study abroad programs. Thereafter, Davis Hall apartments will be available to all students through the regular housing lottery process.

Perillo noted that the addition of Davis Hall will give the college a total of about 1,620 beds on campus. The extra beds will help the college continue to offer on-campus housing for 92% to 95% of all students. Perillo said maintaining the highest possible number of students on campus is critical for the college's core values.

"Research tells us that students who live on campus do better academically, enjoy their college experience more, have more interaction with faculty and staff, and are more engaged alumni," she said. "There's just no question that residential living creates the optimal learning environment. The addition of Davis Hall is a welcome asset in our commitment to that value."

Davidson is a highly selective independent liberal arts college for 1,800 students located 20 minutes north of Charlotte in Davidson, N.C. Since its establishment in 1837 by Presbyterians, the college has graduated 23 Rhodes Scholars and is consistently regarded as one of the top liberal arts colleges in the country. Through The Davidson Trust, the college became the first liberal arts institution in the nation to replace loans with grants in all financial aid packages, giving all students the opportunity to graduate debt-free. Davidson competes in NCAA athletics at the Division I level, and a longstanding Honor Code is central to student life at the college.
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