The Nature Detective
Philippi Hall: A photo essay of USM's 'Flip' side

Philippi Hall:

A photo essay of USM's "Flip' side

The students who helped “break in” Philippi Hall this year will soon pack up their belongings to head home for the summer, and staff will then spend the next few months readying the hall for its next crop of occupants in the fall.

Located between the Costello Sports Complex and the School Street entrance to campus, the attractive three-story residence hall with its card-access lock system, new furnishings, and other accoutrements is still so new that some students simply refer to it as the “new hall.” Others call it “flip” hall, recalling the nickname of the halls namesake, the late Harlan Philippi, a long-time USM administrator.

The popularity of the hall – the first new residence hall built at USM since Dickey-Wood hall in 1970 – has grown throughout its first year of occupancy. When room assignments were made recently the number of students who showed up to vie for a spot in the hall next year was much higher than the year before when the hall was still under construction. All the rooms in the hall have now been assigned for 2002 - 2003 to about 220 students, primarily juniors and seniors, selected based on a number of factors including academic performance.

The spacious “quad single” and “quad double” suites are among the most coveted spaces in the hall, and unlike options available in other Gorham residence halls. The suites have their own living rooms, separate bedrooms, and private bathrooms. Not to mention that some are situate in such a way that occupants have a perfect view of USM baseball games from the comfort of their living rooms. One student who wasamong the first group to christen the building notes that “you really don’t have to leave your room, because you’ve got everything you need.”

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