Brother Leopold Hall, so far, students pleased with new hall

By Alexi Lund

Feature Editor

Brother Leopold Residence Hall’s different options for living arrangements and new features appeal to students, according to two of the building’s first-ever residents.

With a semester into the year already, residents have experienced all the perks of living in Brother Leopold, which include large, comfortable common areas, study rooms, computers and printers, flat screen TV’s, fireplace, big kitchen and cardio room.

“The thing I like best about Brother Leopold is that it is a dorm building, but also has an apartment kick – it feels very homey,” said sophomore Mary DeBartolo.

The idea of having different options for living arrangements is one of the building’s main appeals to students. Brother Leopold has a variety of different set-ups compared to other dorms on campus including singles, apartment-style rooms, triples or Gilmore-style housing.

“I wanted to live in brother Leopold to have the luxury of a brand new building [and] the idea of having three separate rooms was appealing to me,” said junior Tina Valle.

As a student ambassador, Valle hosts and entertains prospective students who come to visit SMU. “I like hosting a lot more in Brother Leopold because there is more room for more prospective students,” said Valle.

With all the common spaces available to students in Brother Leopold, some rarely leave to go to the library. Both Valle and DeBartolo agreed that the study rooms were very convenient compared to the usual trek to the library to fight for study space. The new study rooms in Brother Leopold are equipped with flat screen TV’s, comfortable chairs and access to a computer and a printer. 

“I get a lot of my work done in there and it’s almost like having your own room in the library without having to leave your dorm,” said DeBartolo.

With a new building, comes new technology. Brother Leopold uses student ID’s to get access into the building, where other buildings require a metal key. 

“I like the ID keycard better because I carry my ID with me everywhere, so it’s convenient to not have to carry more items with me,” said DeBartolo. “Plus, it’s easier and quicker to get into the building during cold times like we’ve been having.”

In the first semester of a new building, improvements inevitably will be proposed. Valle, DeBartolo as well as Brother Leopold Resident Assistant Riley Sinn had a few suggestions, which included moving the garbage cans closer to the building, more accurate ventilation systems and desks that are equipped with shelves or drawers to put school materials.

With student housing registration around the corner, students should keep in mind all the perks and benefits that come with living in Brother Leopold.