THIBODAUX, La. — Nicholls State University is excited to announce a $400,000 donation from BHP Petroleum to help add more dorm rooms in preparation for the Fall semester.
The $1 million project will renovate 68 rooms across the 2nd and 3rd floors of North and South Babington Halls. This will aid Nicholls in creating living spaces that align with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. Over the long-term, this will create 17 more suites for Nicholls housing.
Renovating Babington Halls has been a priority for Nicholls President Dr. Jay Clune since he was hired in 2018.
“I have kept a portrait of Mima Babington hanging over the desk in my office as a reminder of the necessity of renovating those buildings, and I’m thankful to BHP for helping us do just that,” Dr. Clune said. “This is going to help us return to campus this fall in a safe environment. They will be able to live on campus and experience campus life, with a decreased chance of being introduced to the virus.”
The 32 rooms under renovation in North Babington will be completed before the semester begins, while the 36 rooms in South Babington will be complete during August.
“BHP recognizes this is a time of great uncertainty for students hoping to return to campus, and a key component of that is safe and affordable housing,” said Myron Protz, BHP Gulf of Mexico general manager. “As a company, we are committed to safety, not only in our operations, but also in our host communities, and we are pleased to partner with Nicholls State University to ensure they meet CDC guidelines for all students to safely return.”
Built as the women’s dorm in 1963, Babington Halls were among the first dorms on campus. Babington was an original faculty member for Nicholls Junior College and was the English department head at the time of her death in 1960. She was awarded emeritus status in 1981.
Babington Halls haven’t operated as dorms since Spring 2015, but still house the nonprofits Restore or Retreat, the South Louisiana Economic Council and the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 15, 2020
MEDIA CONTACT: Jacob Batte, Media Relations and Publications Coordinator, 985.448.4141 or jacob.batte@nicholls.edu
