Bellevue University Opens Doors to New Student Housing

Bellevue University, one of the nation’s leaders in preparing students for lifelong success with career-relevant knowledge and skills, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of its new student housing units on Sept. 15 at 1303 Betz Road in Bellevue. University leadership, members of the Board of Directors, and local business leaders, including Bellevue Mayor Rita Sanders, were in attendance.

According to University President Mary Hawkins, the new student housing units fill a long-standing need for student housing near the main campus to house an increasing student population of athletes, international students, and recent high school graduates. Hawkins said that about half of the student residents are first- or second-year students and nearly 75 percent are new to Bellevue University.

The new student housing complex consists of 18 apartment-style units that can house a total of 72 students. Each unit has four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, and a living area and is complete with basic furnishings to include beds, dressers, wardrobes, and a washer and dryer. The living area and efficiency kitchen also have basic furniture. Student resident advisors live in the housing units to provide on-site support and guidance. The new units are already at full capacity.

Since 2015, Bellevue University has maintained leased student housing in a nearby apartment complex and made those units available to students. Alaina Smith, Director of Student Life and Support Services, reported that the combined university owned and leased housing space stands at just over 330 and the new housing units have a room and board cost of $2,842 per term, one of the lowest in Omaha.