Kenan Community

Kenan Community

Welcome to Kenan Community—known for its grassy quad, spacious study lounges, beautifully decorated common areas, and inviting porches complete with wooden benches and rocking chairs for those warm spring days.

Kenan Community can be described as possessing three elements—excitement, energy, and close proximity to all you could ever ask for, including classes, the Student Union, and the Franklin Street downtown area with shopping and dining establishments. The Kenan Community staff, also known as Team Kenan, hosts many fun events each year including the Kenan Karnival, International Thanksgiving, and Screen on the Green.

Kenan Community houses about 450 residents per year and includes four buildings—Spencer, Alderman, McIver, and Kenan.

• Kenan Hall is an all-female residence hall with three floors and the main Community office inside. It is situated on the Kenan quad and is the central hub for the community.
• McIver and Alderman are also located on the quad and offer co-ed housing amongst the three floors.
• Spencer Hall is located across the street from the Kenan quad, bordering the Coker Arboretum; in fact, Spencer is the only residence hall that resides on Franklin Street.
• The location of Kenan Community offers students a full range of cultural and educational opportunities by providing close proximity to academic buildings, libraries, Battle Park, Playmakers Theatre, the Coker Arboretum, Franklin Street, and more.

Old East & Old West Residence Halls

Old East was the first building erected on a state university campus, followed soon after by Old West. These two buildings flank the Old Well on Cameron Avenue

But don’t let the history of this community fool you into thinking the vibe is sleepy or stagnant – there is much fun to be had!  Lay out in the quad on a sunny day, get moving and play some volleyball, or meet new friends at the weekly community program. You don’t want to miss Old East’s Birthday Bash – a traditional event celebrating the inception of the first university residence hall in the country.

What Tar Heels are Saying

“I love how beautiful the Quad gets right as the sun breaks the sky open. I love my frequent runs through the Arboretum.  I love waking up every day to the Old Well outside my window. And the icing on the cake is that I'm only two minutes from all of my classes.”

–Toyosi, Old West resident

“Kenan is not only beautiful, scenic and well localized, but also welcoming. Kenan feels like my home and reminds me of why exactly the residence hall experience is so singular. I don't live in just any dorm - I am a part of a community that is more and more like my family each day.”

-Andrea, McIver resident

“The location is wonderful, of course, but my favorite thing was and still is the incredible people I meet.”

-Haley, McIver resident

“Kenan is a very tight-knight community. The RA staff and CD work super hard to make this place feel like home, and I know, at least for me, that my hall is my haven.”

-Megan, McIver resident