The Windows of Rockefeller Hall

Many myths surround Bryn Mawr’s largest dorm, Rockefeller Hall. Although some of these are creations of the grand Bryn Mawr imagination, one creative custom is evident to anyone who walks its halls: the painting of the windows on dorm room doors.

The practice was already well established when former Dean Chuck Heyduk arrived at Bryn Mawr in 1975, and as Rockefeller underwent renovations in the ’80s, he says, students emphasized the importance of maintaining the practice to the architects in charge.

Beyond using water-based paint, there are no restrictions, and students can repaint their windows to their heart’s content. Some of the windows, however, have stood the test of time, according to Angie Sheets, associate dean for residential life and student engagement, who says that the “Central Perk” window predates her arrival at the College in 1998.

— Helen Christ ’24, Photos by Alyson Bostrom ’28