We All Can Make an Impact at Dartmouth
Dartmouth dedicates Anonymous Hall honoring unsung heroes, past and present, for their selfless service
In a special ceremony on September 23, Dartmouth dedicated Anonymous Hall, its newest academic building, named in recognition of two centuries of selfless service to the College.
Anonymous Hall honors generations of alumni who have supported Dartmouth without seeking recognition—heroes who have quietly, and anonymously, made Dartmouth one of the world’s premier institutions of higher education.
“This building will be an important home for the creation of new knowledge and a gathering space for students,” said Laurie Shapiro ’95, president of the Dartmouth Alumni Council, at the ceremony. “On behalf of all alumni, I am thrilled to see this cutting-edge facility on the north end of campus.
“I encourage my fellow alumni to take the message of Anonymous Hall as an invitation to find some way, large or small, publicly or anonymously, to show our own passion through volunteerism, ambassadorship, or philanthropy to Dartmouth.”
The graceful, $28-million renovated building, formerly known as Dana Hall, was stripped down to its concrete frame and transformed into a highly energy-efficient building. Its inviting front entrance has a full glass façade and raised pedestrian bridge.
Inspiring New Approaches to Learning
Anonymous Hall is the permanent home of the Guarini School of Graduate and Advanced Studies; the Department of Linguistics; and the Asian Societies, Cultures, and Languages Program.
The new building is revitalizing the campus’s north end, creating a hub of activity for graduate and undergraduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and faculty. The combination of classrooms and workspaces equipped with modern teaching technologies, a rooftop terrace, a café, and sunny multi-use interior spaces is sparking new approaches to teaching, learning, and collaboration.
Graduate student Gretel Torres GR’22 said the new building is bringing together graduate students and making them feel closer to the rest of Dartmouth. “It’s a place that is meant for us to share our experiences, our happiness, our downfalls, and support each other. I want to thank those who made this possible for their generosity and commend them on having the forethought to keep the graduate student community in mind.”
Anonymous Hall also houses Guarini Commons, an open, adaptable space, accessed through a central spiral staircase, where graduate students and postdoctoral scholars can gather to share ideas, collaborate on projects, study, and host events.
“Dedicating Anonymous Hall is a moment of pride for all of us,” added Elizabeth Cahill Lempres ’83 TH’84, chair of the Dartmouth Board of Trustees. “It’s certainly a moment of possibility for the faculty and the students who will work and learn here. It’s emblematic of the kinds of qualities—service, commitment, humility—that really make Dartmouth uniquely Dartmouth.”