Wake Forest University will rename South Residence Hall to Hopkins Residence Hall in a ceremony scheduled for Saturday, October 25. The event will honor alumni Larry and Beth Hopkins, who have longstanding connections to both the university and the Winston-Salem community. The program is set to begin at 10 a.m. at South Hall, located at 2555 Jasper Memory Lane.
The renaming was first announced during Wake Forest’s Founders Day celebration on February 20, as stated by university president Susan R. Wente at Wait Chapel.
Beth Hopkins has built a career in law, education, and community outreach. She was one of the first two Black female residential students at Wake Forest University. Her late husband, Dr. Larry Hopkins, played football for the university and later became a physician recognized for advancing women’s and neonatal health care access and outcomes. Both individuals served on Wake Forest’s Board of Trustees.
“Beth and Larry Hopkins changed Wake Forest and Winston-Salem for the better,” said Susan R. Wente when announcing the renaming in February. “We are forever grateful to them both and look forward to seeing Hopkins Hall honor their legacy. Naming a building on campus– particularly a residence hall – is a rare opportunity and one of the highest honors a University can bestow.”
South Hall originally received its name due to its location on the south side of campus. The building opened in fall 2010 as the first LEED-certified residence hall on Reynolda Campus.
The dedication ceremony will be livestreamed, with photos available after the event. Media representatives planning to cover the ceremony are advised to contact Kim McGrath at 336-758-3209 for parking arrangements.
