The Bemidji State University honors program officially unveiled its new Laurel House, which will not only serve as a residence for as many as four honors students each year, but also as a new gathering and learning space for all students in the program.

The home was completed this summer after the former Laurel House, acquired by the BSU Foundation and leased by the university beginning in 2002, was demolished. The project was the result of an extensive collaboration between the university, Northwest Technical College, and professional construction contractors and consultants in the region.

Dr. Marsha Driscoll, professor of psychology and director of BSU’s honors program, says the house will be a tremendous benefit to the program.

“This house is open to any honors student,” she said. “They can come, they can study, they can have study groups, they can meet. I think that it is important, then, that they can identify with and say ‘that’s a place I belong.’ Whether they live on campus or not, this is still a place for them.”

She also said the student residents will act as caretakers for the home and speak publicly about the home’s features as a condition of their honors program scholarships which provide them free residence in the home. The home will include a library where students will leave their honors theses behind for future students to reference.

“I think this first group of students that we’ve got in here is quite wonderful for this,” Driscoll said. “They will add to it and it will be a place they can contribute to. It’s nice to have some place where you can say ‘this exemplifies the honors program’.”

Jolynne Denman, a senior English major from Esko, Minn., is among the first group of honors program students to live in the house. She says the home provides a unique opportunity for students to strengthen relationships with their classmates.

“It’s an incredible experience, because you’ll be living with students who have gone through the program with you, and you’ll be able to work and live along side each other and to support each other,” she said. “It’s a great place to live.”

Laurel House student residents
• Jolynne Denman, senior, English; Esko, Minn.
• Alexander Yocum, senior, criminal justice; LaCrosse, Wis.
• Callie Johnson, junior, criminal justice; Bemidji, Minn.