Building a Community for Community Building

The event marked the final milestone in an 18-month project that expanded the existing Kilton Hall from a 14 to a 32-bed residential hall, while next door expanded Welch Hall to 18 student beds. The rooms – a mix of singles and doubles – as well as outdoor and common spaces intentionally designed for community building, set the bar for how design can improve living and learning for every individual at the Academy.

 

“These dorms truly stand as a model for residential life – our brand of residential life,” said Head of School Tyler Lewis P’28. “There are many layers to this project that touch our sensibilities, that touch our heart, and that bridge the way that we have loved for generations to a future that is poised to thrive and to set a standard for the holistic care and growth of our students and faculty.”

 

The largest capital project undertaken by KUA in more than 35 years was made possible thanks to generous philanthropic support from lead donors including the Allyn Family, the Borislow Family, and Chris and Emily Burns, and with the full support of the Board of Trustees. An additional 240 donors came together to ensure the project’s completion and seize an opportunity to rename the Kilton residence hall after two long-serving KUA faculty members, Cynthia Howe H’20 P’06 ’14 and Murray Dewdney H’20 P’06 ’14. The attached faculty home will still carry the Kilton name.

 

“Together, Cynthia and Murray represent the very best of KUA and what it means to be a part of the KUA family – leaders, teachers, mentors, coaches, dorm parents, and cherished members of this community,” said Trustee Jennifer Borislow ’78 P’07 ‘10, who with her family named the residence hall in their honor. “It is our hope that this residence hall, along with the legacy they leave behind, will continue to inspire generations of KUA students, reminding all of us of the values that we all hold dear – kindness, love, caring, dedication, and a commitment to making a difference.”

 

“Recognizing that the success of each student enhances the whole is a value deeply embedded in KUA, and we are so honored to be a part of this ethos,” said Dewdney. “This tribute, being recognized in this way, is something quite, quite special.”

 

An important driver in the design of the buildings was moving away from larger, more institutional-style buildings to something closer to a home-like setting where students, faculty, and their families share meaningful experiences that only a tight-knit boarding school like KUA can offer.

 

“It was in the dorm in Kilton where I first found my voice, through the friendships and connections nurtured in that space,” said Brynn ’25. “I would not be the person I am today without the encouragement, acceptance, and opportunities that I've received here. I know these dorms will lift so many young adults like me to find their voice and their place at Kimball Union.”