The Meeting Pace

Chris McKnight ’12 likes to think of Hinderlie Hall as a meeting place between upper and lower campus. And he has a point: the hall sits right on the slope – called Hinderlie Hill, no less – that divides upper and lower campus. But to McKnight, a sophomore math major from LaConner, Wash., the idea of a meeting place means more than that. He considers it the place where all types of PLU students come together.

“Hinderlie is the bridge – there is a little bit of everybody in here. Music majors. Academics. Athletes. And people like me who just like to hang around and socialize,” McKnight said with a laugh. “I am still surprised how much I have bonded with everyone in my hall.”

Hinderlie has developed a few reputations over the years. It does have a lot of music students, given its close proximity to the Mary Baker Russell Music Center. But there is another, more mysterious, reputation: Hinderlie Hall has been known for years for having the best front desk. Why would a hall have that reputation, even when the students change year after year?

McKnight says it gets back to community. “At some front desks, people are just sitting around doing homework. But here, there is always someone who is saying ‘hello’ or ‘goodbye,’” said McKnight. “Some people make it a mission to get to know everyone’s name when they come through. And when that happens, it is hard not to build a community.”

Hinderlie Hall by the numbers

* 130 students

* 4 floors, 8 wings. Wings are gender-specific

* 4 washers and 4 dryers

* 6 Resident Assistants and 5 Residence Hall Council members, not including wing representatives and the first-year student rep.

* 3 kitchens with composting bins

* 2 lounges, 2 study rooms, 1 lounge/game room

* 1 large balcony overlooking lower campus/Foss field

* Host of annual Hinderlie Toga Party, featuring live bands and traditional Greek games

* 12′ x 14′ 8″ room size. Rooms feature built-in closets