Petersen Residence Hall is a 501-bed, 10-story facility housing first- and second-year undergraduates. It was built as a "living-learning" community where every floor has an academic theme. The facility includes the Theodore M. Rehder Residential Learning Commons, typical public and support spaces, academic spaces, and a small food service facility. Each floor has 26-28 double rooms clustered around a study lounge. Students and RAs are assigned to different floors based on their academic interests, fostering academic and social success.
Mary Louise Petersen
Achievements
- Graduated summa cum laude in 1951 from the UI College of Education with a bachelor’s degree in science education
- Elected to Phi Beta Kappa and served as president of her class and president of the Association of University Women
- Appointed to the Iowa Board of Regents in 1969 and served as board president from 1973 to 1981
- Member of the UI Foundation Board of Directors from 1991 to 2006 and is now a lifetime honorary member
- Co-chaired the university’s $1 billion Good, Better, Best capital campaign (1999 to 2005) and the Old Capitol Museum campaign
- Received the state of Iowa’s Distinguished Service Award (1983) and is a member of the Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame
- In 1997, she donated her papers to the Iowa Women’s Archives located in the UI Libraries
- In spring 2013, the UI awarded Petersen an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree
- Gifts and Support to the UI
Building Information
Street Address
304 Grand Avenue
Year built
2015
Additional building information