LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A historic announcement was made Thursday from the Simmons College of Kentucky.

President Kevin Cosby officially announced that students at the Historically Black College and University have a new dorm building.

Morrison Hall was built to serve students at neighboring Spalding University. Now, it will take on a new purpose: housing Simmons students.

Last year, Spalding announced it would sell the building to Simmons for $6 million.

"Twenty years ago when I started at Simmons, we had no buildings. Zero. Now we have 14," President of Simmons College Dr. Kevin Cosby said.

Morrison Hall is two blocks from Simmons College. But a year ago, the building might as well have been on the other side of the world. Simmons didn't have the money to buy it at the time, but they found a way.

"I didn't have $6 million ... but God does," said Dr. Cosby.

Morrison Hall was built to serve students at neighboring Spalding University.

The money came from several small donations and one big one — $1 million from former UofL men's basketball star Junior Bridgeman.

Bridgeman, an entrepreneur, also helped Simmons buy the administration building that helped relaunched the 145-year-old school.

Simmons College freshman Tara Bobo lives in Morrison Hall right now, which can house 300 students. The Missouri native is an applied mathematics major.

"Simmons girls are on the fourth floor, Spalding girls are in the third floor, Simmons boys in the second and Spalding boys on the first," said Bobo.

This is the latest chapter in the comeback story for Simmons. In the last 10 years, the former bible college and Louisville's only HBCU, regained its accreditation, added new degree programs and saw enrollment swell to 1,700 students from 30 different states.

Simmons College also expanded athletics, last month winning the NCCAA Division II Women's Basketball National Championship.

Cosby said many Simmons students live at home or commute, and this new dorm will help the school foster a more traditional college experience.

"Because you feel more free now that you are away from your parents, and it is more of a bridge into adult life," said Bobo.

Simmons College has not announced whether they will change the name of the building. 

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