Columbia University houses nontraditional students
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Jack Eaton, a military veteran and political science major, now lives in 99 Claremont, a new residence hall at Columbia University’s School of General Studies in New York City.
The hall was created to support undergraduates whose paths to a degree include military service, careers, or time away from education. Columbia University renovated the building, originally constructed in 1931 for Union Theological Seminary, with a multimillion-dollar investment and donations totaling nearly $4 million, including $2.5 million from alumnus Bob Hammer.
The renovated building includes amenities like a fitness center, rooftop lounge, and communal kitchens designed to help nontraditional students connect and build a community. Curtis Rodgers, vice dean of the School of General Studies, explained the university invested in the hall to strengthen belonging, countering the misconception that older students with outside responsibilities are less interested in campus life. Columbia previously had limited housing for General Studies students, and struggled to meet demand.
The new hall can house over 300 students, significantly expanding the university’s capacity. University leaders believe that providing housing and fostering a sense of community will improve student success, as around 35 percent of undergraduates nationally experienced housing insecurity in the past year. For Eaton, the hall provides a comfortable transition to college life, offering a shared identity with other students who have taken nontraditional routes to higher education.
