Kevin Wallace opens the door of Coly for Michael Gutsche. Former Heemstra residents now find a home in Colenbrander hall.
Besides the integration of West men into Stegenga Hall, one of the biggest changes for Northwestern’s community has been the assimilation of Heemstra into Colenbrader Hall. Ever since the news became official last fall that Heemstra Hall would have to be demolished, the atmosphere of NW has slowly begun to change. Without a doubt, there are still those mourning the destruction of Heemstra (the building), but most are coming to terms with the change and are realizing that Heemstra, along with all of the other dorms, is not made up of a building, but of the students that resided in it.
Heemstra, also known as h*, has been relocated to Coly 3rd North and 3rd West. That is not to say that the only students there are former Heemstra residents. New freshmen and Coly upperclassmen have been added to the mix and feel the bond of community just the same.
Junior Kameron “Drifter” Toews acknowledged how hard it is to go from the smaller to bigger dorm size, yet he thinks the move allows for Heemstra to bond together more closely.
Junior Bob “Rajah” Latchaw, R.A. of Coly 3W, echoed Drifter’s thoughts. “Instead of being spread out in four floors of Heemstra, we now enjoy the closeness of living on two wings of the same floor.”
Living together is not the only ingredient for good community. It takes work to keep the individual community of h* alive. “A new home does not keep us from expressing ourselves differently,” said Toews.
“We came up with new h* names for the freshmen,” added Sophomore Brandon “Headlock” Hammack. “It still feels like the old h* where everyone says hi and knows each other by their nicknames.”
The Heemstra brotherhood may still be thriving but the residents can’t forget that they are now part of a different dorm – one with its own persona and version of community. “Coly residents have welcomed Heemstrites with open hearts. [RD] Ryan Anderson has done a phenomenal job melding the dorm into a united Colenbrander Hall,” expressed Toews.
Unaware of anything “out of the ordinary,” junior transfer student Andrew Schneider is helping to bridge the gap between Coly and h*. “I love diversity, so I love having Heemstra in Coly. As a new student, I don’t necessarily know what Heemstra culture exactly is or has historically stood for, but from talking to guys from 3rd West & North I understand that community is important to them,” he said.
Both Heemstra and Coly residents are putting aside their differences and working together to mesh the communities. “I think it’s going to be helpful for Coly as a dorm because if Heemstra and Coly are able to come together they will be able to learn from each other and have a broader view of life and a stronger, more diverse community,” stated Schneider. Latchaw captured the essence of the situation when he said, “The transition is, and will be, a process. Heemstra and Coly are simply two different communities. Creating unity between us is naturally going to take some effort, but I’m excited to see what the future holds.”