LITTLE ROCK — John Brown University in Siloam Springs will use a $3.5 million gift to complete an expansion of its North Hall dormitory, the university announced Saturday.
University officials did not release the identity of the donor, who wishes to remain anonymous.
The donation should cover all costs of constructing the new wing, which will house 80 students, and complete the building's second phase. The first phase, which cost $5.7 million, was completed in 2004 and houses 110 students.
"We're excited to get this going as soon as possible," said Steve Beers, vice president of student development.
Demand for on-campus housing at JBU jumped 8 percent to 953 students this fall, compared with 882 students a year ago.
The private Christian university of 2,086 students converted campus offices and lounges into living quarters and leased three Creekview Flats apartments in downtown Siloam Springs to house 18 female upperclassmen.
JBU's traditional undergraduate students are required to live on campus until they become upperclassmen. North Hall is one of the four dormitory buildings on campus.
The expansion to the hall should address the university'sovercrowding, said Andrea Phillips, director of university communications.
The project is expected to take nine months to complete. But builders will miss the fall 2008 goal if they do not start soon, she said.
The university anticipated it would be at least 2008 or 2009 before it ran out of space to place students, Beers said.
"It's a great problem to have," he said.
In July, the university launched a five-year, $20 million fundraising campaign for student scholarships and programs.
That announcement came three months after the close of JBU's $10 Million Challenge, which ended in mid-January, 18 months earlier than expected.
The $10 Million Challenge started in July 2005, with an anonymous $5 million pledge, and ultimately will provide more than $500,000 annually in scholarship money.
JBU officials expect to raise $6.1 million in its Cathedral Group campaign. The money is for the renovation of the Cathedral of the Ozarks and its two sister buildings, art and engineering.
Arkansas, Pages 20 on 10/07/2007