On Friday, Sept. 8, faculty, alumni, and students gathered at Anna B. Lawther Hall to enjoy the rededication ceremony, and to see the inside of the building for the first time since renovation began in fall of 2015.

For some, this was the first time they had set foot inside Lawther Hall, while for others it was almost like stepping back in time.

Lawther Hall was opened 77 years ago and has seen its fair share of history, such as the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Services) women.

According to navy.mil, the WAVES were founded in 1942 as a way to put women in on-shore Navy jobs so that more men could ship off to fight in World War II. It was the first women’s naval reserve in the United States. The WAVES residing in Lawther would hang their bras and panties from the windows, according to Vice President for Student Affairs Paula  Knudson.

“Some things have changed, some things haven’t. For any Lawther residents listening, no bras and panties in the windows,” Knudson said.

Window attire is not the only thing to have changed in Lawther Hall. The fourth and fifth floors, once considered “the attic” due to the lack of students living there, are now open.

The rooms on the fifth floor contain vaulted ceilings and window alcoves. Along with room aesthetics, there are also a number of increased security measures, including ID-required locks on all doors, bathrooms and even personal locks inside the bathrooms.

“There are many different sized rooms and they all seem to have a lot of floor space and a lot of area,” said Kumari Kinrade, a Lawther Resident. There are a variety of rooms offered in Lawther, such as single room, double room and double suites.

Despite all of the elaborate features, Lawther will still be known as a “living environment that grows relationships and connections,” according to Knudson.