By Mairin Hoffman ’25
Above the Health Center and the magnificent basketball courts lies a small girls’ dormitory called Memorial. The dorm consists of mostly sophomore girls and four juniors, three of whom are residential advisors. Memorial is an unknown territory on campus for most Highlanders, as its reputation throughout the past couple of years has been slightly obscure. Memorial is truly a place of unity and connection for the girls that live there, and the girls have created a tight-knit bond.
In previous years, Memorial was a sophomore and junior boys’ dorm, but it recently changed to a girls’ dorm as an influx of girls were enrolled this year. Most girls in the dorm are new, but three returning juniors also reside in Memorial as RAs. Mairin Hoffman, Skyler Toffolo, and Brynn Cunningham are the returning RAs in Memorial. They keep the girls in check and are always there for them. The dorm consists of 10 doubles, with two girls in each room.
The dorm parents are Ms. Rimany, Mrs. Theobald, Ms. Parish, and Mrs. Lyon. Ms. Parish and Ms. Rimany live in Memorial and are passionate about the dorm. Ms. Rimany has lived in Memorial for two years and cherishes every second. “This is my second year as Head House Parent in Memorial, but over the summer, the dorm switched from a sophomore boys’ dorm to a sophomore girls’ dorm. I wasn’t sure what to expect because I have only ever lived in a boys’ dorm, but I’ve enjoyed my experience in Memorial this year.” Ms. Rimany touches on Memorial’s reputation. Still, she elaborates that there is more to it than what meets the eye, “I know that a lot of people think Memorial is the worst dorm to live in, but I think there’s something extraordinary about living in a single hallway with 20 of your peers. Many dorms are split across multiple floors or hallways. Memorial is the only dorm in which you could see every resident simultaneously if they peeked their head out the door. Before the year started, I tried to make the common room feel a little cozier by adding an area rug, some colorful wall art, and a coffee table, but the girls in the dorm really make it feel like home.” Now, the next time you talk to someone who may live in Memorial, just know there is more to it than meets the eye.
