With the addition of modern residence halls in recent years, many older dormitories have been demolished.

In a UK Board of Trustees meeting on June 24, President Eli Capilouto announced five residence halls will be renamed after several important figures in the university’s history. All five of those names are also names of buildings that have been demolished. 

The name changes include: 

• Champions Court I on north campus to Frances Jewell Hall

  • Francis Jewell McVey was a graduate of Vassar College and Columbia University, but was a native Kentuckian, a press release said. Jewell taught in UK’s English department before becoming dean of women in 1921. In 1923, Jewell married UK President Frank McVey and ended her employment with UK. Jewell became known as an ambassador for UK across the state and opened Maxwell Place to the campus and community. 

• Champions Court II on north campus to Georgia M. Blazer Hall
  • Georgia M. Blazer was on UK’s Board of Trustees from 1939 to 1961, according to a press release. The original Blazer Hall, which will now be referred to as Blazer Dining until it is decommissioned, was originally a dormitory and now serves as classroom space and the offices of multiple organizations. 

• Limestone Park I on north campus to Sarah Bennett Holmes Hall
  • Sarah Bennett Holmes was UK’s dean of women from 1942 to 1957 and promoted the welfare of female students, UK officials said in a press release. Holmes received two degrees from UK and was eventually named the state mother of Kentucky. She received the Sullivan Medallion. The original Holmes Hall was named in her honor in 1958. 

• Limestone Park II on north campus to Cleona Bell Matthews Boyd Hall
  • Cleona Bell Mathews Boyd was president of UK’s Woman’s Club and the Board of Control of Women’s Dormitories for 25 years, a press release said. The original Boyd Hall was named for her around 1933 for her service to women’s residence halls.

• Central Hall II on central campus to Herman Lee Donovan Hall
  • Herman Lee Donovan was UK’s fourth president from 1941 to 1956. A press release said Donovan focused mostly on preparing the university for an influx of returning service men and women from World War II. Donovan also pushed for the creation of the northern Extension Center in Covington in 1955 and establishment of new academic programs. Donovan made the preliminary plans for a medical school.

The original Donovan Hall was torn down for building the new Academic Science Building. The original Boyd, Holmes and Jewell Halls were some of the buildings demolished for the former Limestone Park I and II project, according to a previous Kentucky Kernel article. 

Capilouto said in a press release renaming the residences halls in the north campus area “reflects the significance Holmes, Boyd, Jewell and Blazer had in the development of the university. As importantly, it reflects – as they did so well – our commitment to placing students at the center of everything we do. That’s what these women and President Donovan did. They devoted their time, energies and talents to the development of students, who in turn were prepared for lives of meaning and purpose in Kentucky and around the globe.”