the best place since 1939!
Breen-Phillips Hall was established in 1939 and has been a women's dorm since 1973. BP is named for brothers-in-law William P. Breen, class of 1877, and Frank B. Phillips, class of 1880. The two benefactors were both from Fort Wayne, Indiana. Breen was a charter member and the first president of the Notre Dame Board of Lay Trustees, established in 1920 by then-President James A. Burns, CSC. For many years the University awarded the Breen Medal for student achievement in oratory.
Along with Alumni Hall, Cavanaugh Hall, Dillon Hall, and Zahm House, BP housed naval officers in training during WWII. BP also housed the entire athletic department in its basement, including the office of Coach Frank Leahy. In 1984, Pope John Paul II imparted an Apostolic Blessing on BP.
Famous alums include retired astronaut James Wetherbee (1974), a veteran of six space flights and currently technical assistant to the director of the Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate at the Johnson Space Center. .
BP residents were originally known as the banshees. However, after the 1998 movie "Babe: Pig in the City," BP's intramural teams began to use the nickname "Babes." As the dorm transitioned to a women's hall, some of the previous male residents left mementos behind. Several female students in the '70s reported former male residents showing up in their rooms on football weekends to retrieve a "time capsule" they had secreted behind the mirror above the room's sink.
Breen-Phillips' has three signature events: Hoops for Hope (fall), BP's Breast Cancer Awareness Barn Party (October), and the Meal Auction (spring). Hoops for Hope is a 3 v 3 basketball tournament hosted on the Bookstore Courts to raise money for Sisters of the Incarnate Word in honor of our late rector Sr. Mary McNamara. It is open to all members of campus. BP's Beach Party was created in 2021 as an event to raise money for the Beacon Memorial Breast Cancer Center. The event takes place on North Quad and includes all things "B + P": Baby Pigs (and other animals). The final signature event, the Meal Auction, is an event in which meals with campus celebrities are auctioned off to raise money for the Meals on Wheels Association. Additionally, raffle baskets with donations from local South Bend restaurants and businesses are included in the Meal Auction. Some of our favorites included donations from Irish Woodworks, CoreLife Eatery, and Crooked Ewe Brewery!
BP's signature week is known as Babe Week. Babe Week takes place both semesters during the week leading up to SYR and formal. It is a week filled with Babe pride and fun events and contests! Another tradition of BP is the Big/Little Reveal. Our Big/Little commissioners work hard to match first-years with an upperclassmen!
Along with Alumni Hall, Cavanaugh Hall, Dillon Hall, and Zahm House, BP housed naval officers in training during WWII. BP also housed the entire athletic department in its basement, including the office of Coach Frank Leahy. In 1984, Pope John Paul II imparted an Apostolic Blessing on BP.
Famous alums include retired astronaut James Wetherbee (1974), a veteran of six space flights and currently technical assistant to the director of the Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate at the Johnson Space Center. .
BP residents were originally known as the banshees. However, after the 1998 movie "Babe: Pig in the City," BP's intramural teams began to use the nickname "Babes." As the dorm transitioned to a women's hall, some of the previous male residents left mementos behind. Several female students in the '70s reported former male residents showing up in their rooms on football weekends to retrieve a "time capsule" they had secreted behind the mirror above the room's sink.
Breen-Phillips' has three signature events: Hoops for Hope (fall), BP's Breast Cancer Awareness Barn Party (October), and the Meal Auction (spring). Hoops for Hope is a 3 v 3 basketball tournament hosted on the Bookstore Courts to raise money for Sisters of the Incarnate Word in honor of our late rector Sr. Mary McNamara. It is open to all members of campus. BP's Beach Party was created in 2021 as an event to raise money for the Beacon Memorial Breast Cancer Center. The event takes place on North Quad and includes all things "B + P": Baby Pigs (and other animals). The final signature event, the Meal Auction, is an event in which meals with campus celebrities are auctioned off to raise money for the Meals on Wheels Association. Additionally, raffle baskets with donations from local South Bend restaurants and businesses are included in the Meal Auction. Some of our favorites included donations from Irish Woodworks, CoreLife Eatery, and Crooked Ewe Brewery!
BP's signature week is known as Babe Week. Babe Week takes place both semesters during the week leading up to SYR and formal. It is a week filled with Babe pride and fun events and contests! Another tradition of BP is the Big/Little Reveal. Our Big/Little commissioners work hard to match first-years with an upperclassmen!
Here are some images from our signature events: Hoops for Hope, BP's Barn Party, and the Meal Auction!