According to a release from the college, the summer break was used to add, renovate, and improve several areas across campus, and 2026 brought a long list of projects.
The biggest is the new Moritz Library in D'Aniello Hall. Interior work is wrapping up, and the library will be open for the fall semester, with full operating hours beginning August 26th. A formal dedication is set for the morning of September 26th during Family Weekend. Visitors will be able to see a replica of the Liberty Bell, tour a museum-quality reproduction of the Assembly Room from Independence Hall, and view an exhibition of Early American documents.
In St. Benedict Hall, a new pass-through has been carved out. Anyone entering the main central entrance can now see straight through the building and walk out the other side into the courtyard in front of the new library. The entire main floor was also refurbished with new flooring, fresh paint, and larger bathrooms.
Holy Grounds Coffee Shop has a new home, too, on the ground floor of the Moritz Library, with the release saying the move means a much larger space.
Its former space in the Haverty Center is now called Mick's Place, named for Michael "Mick" Haverty, who donated the money for the original renovations.
The college also made a number of safety upgrades. Exterior lights have been replaced with new 360-degree LEDs for brighter, broader coverage. Nearly 100 security cameras have been added around campus. The Campus Security staff has been doubled, with new officers being hired, meaning two officers on duty most of the time, allowing for more patrols and more available escorts. More doors have been added to the campus access control system, and the college has begun sending regular safety and security reminder emails, with expanded communication for off-campus students.
Some offices have also moved. The History Department, the Political Science Department, and the Center for Constitutional Liberty are all now housed in the Moritz Library.
Some individual faculty members have also relocated from the Ferrell Academic Center to St. Benedict Hall, with students asked to check with their professors on new office locations.
Meanwhile, as student move-in continues, the college has announced that Kelsey Reinhardt, President and CEO of CatholicVote and co-founder of Zeale, will give the keynote address during the 2026 Academic Convocation.
The event, set for September 1 in the Ralph Nolan Gymnasium, annually kicks off the academic year and officially welcomes the incoming freshman class.
