Although the building was not yet finished in the fall of 1961, 175 men were allowed to move in. Fifty of those men lived in a large room in the basement until construction was completed during the 1961-62 school year.
The design for this $1,200,000 building was based on plans developed by architects Brooks-Borg of Des Moines for Helser Hall at Iowa State University.
The original name of this building was Regents Hall. However, in January 1964 the Board of Regents changed the name to the Dwight G. Rider Hall in honor of the man who served as president of the board from 1951 through 1956.
The building was dedicated on May 24, 1964, in a joint ceremony for Rider and Shull Halls.
Rider Hall was designed as part of the Regents Complex (now commonly known as the Quad) which consists of four halls set around a lounge/dining center.
Rider remains solely a men's residence hall.
Compiled by Susan Witthoft; edited by Gerald L. Peterson
Special Collections and University Archives
July 1996