When students returned to campus in August 2025, Gregory Hall residents found a completely redesigned lower lounge and patio area, a generous gift of the time, talent and treasure of Tim, BA ’82, and Brandie Gehan.
The inspiration for the project grew out of the recent lounge renovation in Theresa Hall and the spring 2025 Cor Challenge special challenge fund, donated by Fanny, BA ’88 MBA ’91, and Phil, BA ’90 MBA ’93, Sheumaker. The challenge encouraged donors to vote for the allocation of funds to certain campus improvement projects – including the Gregory Hall lounge.
The Cor Challenge became a springboard for the Gehans, who own and run a home construction business called UnionMain, to donate not only the generous funds for completing the project but also their expertise in the design, overseen by Executive Director of Facilities and Capital Projects Benjamin Gibbs, EdD, BA ’15 MBA ’17.
Motivated by Tim’s experience living in Gregory Hall as an undergraduate and by their care for current students, the Gehans set out to create a community space that would improve the experience of dorm life for students on campus – a place that students would find practical, a place they would gather, and a place that will hopefully attract new students to the university.
“They wanted to treat the lounge as the living room of a home for students who live on campus,” said Gibbs, “and because of that, they were directly involved in designing the space and directly involved in helping the university find some of the contractors who could implement that vision.”
The Gehans visited campus frequently during the renovation process, noticing details, giving feedback and articulating solutions. Their consistent involvement resulted in a cohesive space, achieving the vision of creating a relaxing, comfortable and practical place for students to gather.
“They came to us with a vision,” Gibbs explained. “They had an affinity for the project and an ability to help us realize that vision because of their expertise – being able to do all of those things made the project easier than it would have otherwise been.”
Throughout the project, the Gehans remained deferential to the best interests of the university, continuously seeking to understand what the students would like and involving various staff members in the process.
The striking focal point of the project is a large mural that captures the distinctive culture of both the Irving and Rome campuses through images that are instantly recognizable to students. The mural is a daily reminder that these spaces aren’t just functional; they shape belonging.
Greg Hall Residence Assistant Joe Teson ’27 was among the first students to use the new space. “They really went above and beyond,” he said. “Everyone that I’ve encountered walking in has been blown away by the creativity and the thought behind the design.”
Teson immediately began planning gatherings, including a celebration for the feast day of St. Gregory. The new lounge, he says, “sets Greg apart among the west side halls. It’s going to end up being a space where people come together.”
“It’s an enormous gift that echoes out in a lot of different ways. It’s not just that we made a pretty space – we made an area that the guys want to keep nice. It elevates behavior because the built spaces we live in have an effect on us,” observed Dean of Students Greg Roper, PhD, BA ’84. “The Gehans have been fabulously generous with their time and treasure.”