Lucy Rowland Hall was built in 1928 and still houses students 95 years later. From the outside, the building looks like a classic dorm, with a pretty entryway and brick exterior. On the inside, it shows its age a bit but that’s neither here nor there because I want to talk about the real Lucy Rowland. Lucy Rowland Rector was born in 1855 and ended up in Cincinnati, Ohio with her mother where she met her future husband Edward Rector. The two married in 1839 and never had any children, but if you think about it, their dedication to helping the students of DePauw they have lots and lots of young people they’ve helped succeed. The story according to the DePauw archives e-history says that Edward asked the then-president of DePauw what was needed most in terms of campus facilities and he responded “a women’s dormitory”. After Edward died he left $250,000 in his will for the dorm we know today as Lucy Rowland Hall to be built. Even after her husband’s death in 1925, Lucy remained incredibly involved in the operations of the school until her death in 1949, her funeral was even held at Gobin Memorial United Methodist Church. Unfortunately, I cannot find much about Lucy prior to her marriage and involvement with the university but the impact she left is undeniable, and just in case she’s watching over my shoulder while I write this sitting in her namesake, we love you, Lucy!
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at DePauw chapter.