Publishers Hall Welcomes First-Year Students to Its Cozy Confines
At first, Shilpa Kuriakose ’28 was skeptical of the charms of Publishers Hall.
She moved into Publishers a year ago as a first-year student, and she remembers how a resident assistant (RA) told all the residents about the “magic” of the building. It was a place, he said, where the community is close and friendships are tight.
The new students weren’t sure. Publishers is an older residence hall, and it’s small, and it sits by itself on the northern edge of campus. How could such a hall be so magical?
And yet, as the year unfolded, Kuriakose fell under the spell of the building. “My experience here last year was phenomenal,” Kuriakose said. “I knew every single person’s name. I knew what room they were in. I don’t think you get that experience in any other dorm.”
Last week during move-in day, a new crop of first-year students made Publishers Hall their home, and Kuriakose was there to greet them. Now an RA herself, she was thrilled to be assigned to the building. “I want to give this year’s residents the same experience I had last year,” she said.
She planned to tell them the same thing she was told last year, that the new building holds a certain magic to it. “They will all roll their eyes, but little do they know,” she said. “Every year, everyone becomes best friends.”
A Long History
Publishers Hall has a long history. Just over a century old, it was built in 1924, its name a tribute to College founder Roger Babson, a writer and publisher. Over the years, the building has housed Wellesley National Bank and Western Union, as well as the Publishers Financial Bureau, which was created by Babson to distribute his many writings to newspapers across the country.
The building’s close-knit vibe, which has so entranced Kuriakose and many others, can be contributed mainly to its size. Only 41 first-year students and two RAs reside there, making it the smallest residence hall for first-year students on campus.
Last week at move-in day, Mike and Robin Malouf P’29 were appreciating the coziness of the building. In a corner room on the first floor, they waited for their son, Mason ’29, who had gone off to procure his laptop. While Robin put Mason’s clothes on hangars, and a cool cross breeze blew through the room’s two windows, Mike said the building didn’t feel like a typical residence hall.
“Here, you’re basically living in the same house,” he said. “I think this will be a pretty good experience for him.”
Located on Forest Street, across the road from the greens of the Wellesley Country Club and just down the hill from the Park Manor Quad, Publishers can be overlooked. “It is a hidden gem,” Kuriakose said. The building’s other RA, Juan “JC” Grullon ’27, who had not lived in Publishers previously, admitted to not knowing much about it.
But, he has heard stories from former residents who talk of its chummy community. “They say they have the best time here,” he said. “It is so small. You get to know all the residents.”
Such a comfortable environment is an ideal one for an RA, especially someone like Grullon, who seeks to be a leader and mentor. A Posse Scholar who has held various leadership positions at Babson, he is grateful for the many people who helped and guided him through the course of his life.
“I had a lot of mentors. I want to be that same figure for others,” he said. “I always wanted to be an RA. You connect with people one on one.”
Scenes from Move-In Day
Through the decades, Publishers has witnessed many move-in days. Last week, it filled with the usual sights and sounds one encounters on the day. In the hallways, there were nice-to-meet-you’s and handshakes and questions. “Do you have a tape measure?” someone asked. “Where’s the bathroom?” said another.
Wearing green “Welcome Crew” T-shirts, student helpers wheeled carts filled with possessions down the path to Publishers. The hall has no elevator, so that means the carts had to be lifted by hand up steps. “Everyone in Publishers has amazing quads,” Kuriakose said.
In his room on the first floor, Kevin Li ’29 was accompanied by his mom, dad, and cousin, all of whom went shopping at the College bookstore the day before and so now were decked out in Babson hoodies, sweatshirts, and hats. On the second floor, Victoria Mabardy ’29 arrived at her room before her two roommates, which means she had first pick on which bed she wanted.
Farther down the hallway, Lakshmi Prasanth ’29 was reckoning with a hard fact: She brought too much. Her stuff filled the room’s floor and spilled out into the hallway. “I am a pack rat,” she said. “I don’t know what I will use and won’t use until it’s all in front of me.”
In the basement, Ezel Bhatty ’29 was checking out the common room, where a plaque hangs on the wall, detailing Publishers’ rich history. She is the youngest of four sisters. They are close, but Bhatty feels the time has come to strike out on her own. “I was very dependent on them,” she said. “I want to learn to be independent.”
At the other end of the basement, Jenna Wong ’29 was going through bags in her room. She had started packing only the day before, and she was up late. Now, a new home, with a tradition of friendship and camaraderie, awaited her. “It is small. I heard it is a close-knit community,” Wong said. “I’m looking forward to meeting all the people here.”
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