Work begins at historic Foster's Hall at Selma University

Nearly two years after Congresswoman Terri Sewell presented a $750,000 check to support the project, work has begun at historic Foster’s Hall at Selma University.

Selma University President Dr. Stanford Angion said now that the university has completed an extensive approval process, the long-awaited construction marks the beginning of a major transformation for one of the school’s oldest buildings.

“They are going to stabilize the building and put a new roof on it, and then they will begin to work on the inside,” Angion said. He said the first floor will be fully renovated during this initial phase, with work on the remaining floors to follow.

Foster’s Hall was built in 1910 as a women’s dormitory, and Angion said it will return to that purpose once the project is complete.

“It will largely serve as a female dormitory,” he said. “That is one of the exciting things about the renovation. It will be used for its original purpose.”

The first floor will also serve the wider community. Angion said plans call for meeting space, a small presentation area and a cyber cafe designed to act as a hub for collaboration for students and community members. The first phase should be finished by early spring.

In 2024 Angion called the historic building “a towering trophy to the legacy of African American women throughout the state of Alabama.”

Foster’s Hall is not the only project underway at Selma University. Angion said Pollard Hall will soon house a museum on its first floor featuring interviews and stories from people connected to the university’s long history. The top floor will become a technology center, though final plans are still being shaped.

The university is also moving forward with its accreditation efforts. Selma University submitted its application for SACS accreditation last August and expects a committee to visit in March 2027. Accreditation could come by June 2027. The school already holds accreditation from ABHE.

Angion noted that Selma University has made its progress without federal financial aid, something he said many believed would be impossible.

“Many people told me that if you don’t have federal financial aid, you’re going to die,” he said. “Well, five years later, we are still alive and growing.”

The university will debut its new basketball team this fall, and the Connected Learning Center, funded in part by AT&T, will open in late September. The center will be located inside the university library and will include about 15 computers and other technology for students and community members.