For more than eight decades, Chandler Hall has been more than a building, it has been home for thousands of Thorobreds.

Generations of young women began their Kentucky State University journey within its walls, formed lifelong friendships in its halls, and stepped forward into lives of purpose and leadership.

Today, we are proud to share that Chandler Hall is undergoing a complete renovation that will preserve its legacy and prepare it to serve students for decades to come.

Recently, Dr. Michael D. Dailey '84, Provost & Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, led a hard hat tour for students to see firsthand the progress being made inside Chandler Hall. Students shared their excitement, offered feedback on new amenities, and expressed pride in seeing one of KSU’s most beloved landmarks reimagined for a new generation. The enthusiasm on campus is palpable as students look forward to Chandler Hall’s reopening in Fall 2026.

A Legacy of Care and Community

Chandler Hall opened in 1939 as a women’s residence hall and has continuously served female students since that time. The three-story and finished basement brick building was named in honor of Mildred Chandler, wife of Kentucky’s 44th and 49th Governor, Albert “Happy” Chandler, Sr.

Caregiving has always been built into the structure of Kentucky State University and Chandler Hall itself. Chandler Hall has served not only as a residence, but as a place where young women were mentored, protected, supported, and empowered to succeed.

At the time of its opening, the building included a large infirmary space on the third floor, set up with a dozen or more beds so that sick students could be cared for on campus. A campus nurse lived in Chandler Hall to look after them. Male students who became ill were sometimes treated in their own rooms, but would come to Chandler Hall for needed medication.

Alumnae still speak of late-night study sessions, shared mirrors and shared dreams, and the feeling of independence that came with having a place of their own on campus.

As alumna Nyemah Stark, Class of 1996, fondly recalled, “Chandler Hall was THEE female residence hall to move into. The setup was the best organized space on campus...and the camaraderie among the women who stayed there made it unforgettable.”

A Site of Historic Memory

Chandler Hall stands adjacent to a site with deep meaning in the history of Kentucky State University. In 1905, the University opened Ladies Hall, a residence designed to bring up to 150 women under one roof at a time when female students had previously been spread across different parts of campus. Ladies Hall even included its own dining facilities, a powerful statement that women belonged there, together, in community.

On December 13, 1926, tragedy struck. A fire broke out at Ladies Hall in the early morning hours while most of the 98 young women inside were asleep. Panic quickly ensued throughout the building and the campus.

Students rushed to help, holding mattresses below the windows so those in the building could jump to safety from the upper floors. Every ambulance in Frankfort responded. Sixteen students were injured and many were taken to Lexington for treatment. Sadly, three students lost their lives.

Ladies Hall was torn down soon after the fire. It would be three years before a new women’s residence hall opened. When Chandler Hall rose in 1939, it did so in the shadow of that loss, with a new promise: that Kentucky State University would provide safe, dignified, and modern housing for its women. Chandler Hall has carried that promise forward for 86 years of dedicated service.

Ladies Hall Circa 1920

Investing in the Next Generation

During the summer of 2025, Kentucky State University began a full renovation of Chandler Hall. Construction is well underway and is scheduled for completion in July 2026, with students returning to the building in August 2026.

When Chandler Hall reopens, it will once again serve students. The updated facility will offer:

• 108 student beds across 62 modernized rooms, designed for comfort and safety.
• An expansive and fully reimagined ground-floor lobby, opened up to create a welcoming environment for student-centered gathering, studying, mentoring, and programming.
• A welcome desk to support student safety and community life.
• A refreshed, modern laundry room with updated finishes.
• A dedicated Resident Director apartment to provide on-site support and mentorship.

While the residence hall will be brought up to contemporary standards, the renovation respects the character of the original building and its place in the historic heart of campus. The infrastructure improvements and retrofitting are designed to extend the functional life of Chandler Hall by another half century.

The improvements to Chandler Hall are made possible through an $8.9 million investment in Kentucky State University, funded by the taxpayers of the Commonwealth of Kentucky through asset preservation dollars. This is more than a renovation, it is a statement of faith in Kentucky State University's future.

Kentucky State University extends its sincerest gratitude to the Kentucky Legislature and the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) for their leadership and continued investment in asset preservation. Their support ensures that historic facilities like Chandler Hall remain not only standing, but also a distinguished landmark for years to come.

This investment allows Kentucky State University to protect and strengthen the historic core of campus, rather than tear it down. It allows for KSU to honor the women who came before while preparing space for the women who will lead next.

We Need Your Stories

This renovation is about people, not just bricks and mortar. Kentucky State University will include historical displays and storytelling inside Chandler Hall when it reopens in August 2026. To do that, KSU needs to hear from you.

Did you live in Chandler Hall? Do you have photos with your roommate in front of the building? Did you meet your closest friends there? Were you a Residence Advisor? Did you move in as a first-year student, unsure and excited all at once?

We invite our alumni and friends to share photographs, memories, and stories from Chandler Hall. Please send them to alumni@kysu.edu. Your memories will help us celebrate the women who made Chandler Hall a sisterhood, not just a residence hall.

Class of 1998, Calisa Horton remarked, "I can't wait to see the renovations at Chandler Hall...my best memories were in this hall! I absolutely loved watching Kappa Kappa Psi perform in front of our residence hall and all the ladies on the 3rd floor would chant '3CH!'."

Thank you for your continued support of Kentucky State University. Because of you, and because of the Commonwealth’s investment, the historic heart of this campus will continue to beat, stronger than ever.

For more ways to support students, please contact us at alumni@kysu.edu. To make a gift to support student accounts directly, please go to www.kysu.edu/givenow or click here.

Included in this email are images of students on the hard hat tour with Dr. Dailey, renderings of the new exterior of Chandler Hall, Former Kentucky First Lady Mildred Chandler, students in front of Ladies Hall, and a 1940 drawing of Chandler Hall.

About Kentucky State University:

Kentucky State University is a public, research-comprehensive, historically Black land-grant university where tradition meets innovation. With a proud heritage of excellence in teaching, research, and public service, KSU is committed to advancing the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the nation, empowering individuals to lead productive lives in a dynamic global society.

At KSU, our culture is agriculture and discovery—from sustainable farming to cutting-edge aquatic science, and from engineering to emerging fields that shape the future. With students, faculty, and staff united in purpose, Kentucky State University is where leadership is cultivated, knowledge is expanded, and service creates lasting impact across communities and industries.