St. Edward’s University is throwing a housewarming party to celebrate the grand opening of its newest residence hall on Tuesday, April 1, from 4 to 7 p.m. But instead of supplying towels, laundry detergent and dishes to almost 200 students who recently moved into Basil Moreau Hall, this housewarming party will benefit the Supportive Housing Program of LifeWorks, which helps transition youth from homelessness to self-sufficiency. This is just the latest example of the university’s long history of community service. When the university broke ground on the facility in November 2001, students, faculty and staff donated more than 5,000 cans of food—totaling more than 3,500 pounds—to the Capital Area Food Bank.

Conveniently located near dining facilities, classes, athletic fields and the library, Basil Moreau Residence Hall allows students to live in the center of campus action. The complex, which is named in honor of Father Basil Anthony Moreau, founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross, reflects the style of the historic buildings on campus. Basil Moreau Hall provides housing for 180 students and features one three-story wing and one-four story wing with a variety of floor plans. Each of the rooms is approximately 300-square-feet with nine-foot ceilings and includes state-of-the-art computer networking access, cable and phone service and a full-building sprinkler system. For upperclassmen seeking an alternative to residence hall living, two smaller buildings, called Casitas, allow 40 students to enjoy house-style living while sharing a common courtyard with Basil Moreau Hall. All residents of Basil Moreau Hall can take advantage of more than 60,000-square-feet of living space, including study rooms, lounges, a common kitchen and on-site laundry facilities.

Just three years ago, the St. Edward’s University Board of Trustees approved a set of seven strategic priorities and an ambitious campus master plan that, together, defined the future direction of the university. Specifically, the two plans spelled out the university’s collaborative effort to be recognized as one of the best small universities in the country. Basil Moreau Hall is the second building to be completed as part of the university’s campus master plan. The first, Trustee Hall, opened for Fall semester 2002.

Founded by the Congregation of Holy Cross, St. Edward's University is a private Catholic, liberal arts university of more than 4,250 students in Austin, Texas.