A Community Takes Shape

A few weeks into the school year, a community has already formed among University of Arizona Honors College students and faculty who share space within the new Honors Village.  

“Members of my team and I will be having lunch in the dining hall, and we constantly get interrupted by students — and that’s a good thing,” says Honors College Dean Terry Hunt. “We love that students come up and say hello.” 

Located on the north side of campus near Park Avenue and Mabel Street, the Honors Village is the hub for the Honors College, complete with dining, housing for more than 1,000 honors students, collaborative learning spaces and access to a new Campus Recreation Center. 

The new space has captured the attention of not only students but of alumni as well. 

Honors College alumnus Rob Delghiaccio, and his wife Elin, supported the college with a naming gift toward a housing endowment fund so that students can have the opportunity to live in a tight-knit community, he says. 

Their gift named the Delghiaccio Family Dean’s Suite. 

“College is a formative time in a person’s life, and living in a community of like-minded individuals is something all students should benefit from,” he says. 

The Honors Village opened in August at full occupancy. 

Tour the Honors Village

The John and Helen Murphey Living Room

Donors were offered the opportunity to name spaces throughout the Honors Village in recognition of gifts that fund scholarships or help students study abroad. The John and Helen Murphey Foundation chose to fund housing stipends by naming this space. 

‘We wanted to be physically part of the Honors College and so we chose to name the Living Room because it’s a popular and comfortable place for students to gather.’ — Ana Nygren, President, John and Helen Murphey Foundation

Delghiaccio Family Dean’s Suite 

Previously, the Honors College staff were in three buildings spread across campus because of space limitations. With the opening of the Honors Village, staff members are together in one place.  

‘All of us in one location just makes the experience smoother for our students. Everything a student needs to be successful is right here.’ — Cheree Meeks, Senior Director of the First Year Experience, Honors College 

Restorative Spaces

Lounge spaces for students to relax or gather for a study session are found throughout the Honors Village. 

‘It’s a place I can go between classes if I need to do homework, study, rest or just meet with friends and catch up. The possibilities are abundant, and that’s what’s so exciting and promising.’ — Abhijay Murugesan, Senior, Molecular and Cellular Biology and Public Health