Fisk Addresses Student Housing Demand By Creating Dorm Rooms With Shipping Containers

Black liberal arts college Fisk University has been making headlines recently for taking the appropriate action to decrease the high demand for student housing in Nashville, Tennessee.

According to NBC News, it includes converting “dozens of shipping containers” into dorm rooms.

During an interview with the publication, Jens Frederiksen, the university executive vice president, revealed that containers would house about 98 students. The building’s exterior also has the university’s colors, blue and gold.

As for the price, Frederiksen shared that the total project would cost about $4 million, which the university obtained through additional donors. Further, Frederiksen disclosed that he sees this idea as a “brilliant and innovative solution” because this works for the university, given how rapidly the enrolling class is growing and the other changes that need to be made on different dormitories.

Happy Birthday, Fisk. 🐶#FiskUniversity #FiskForever #everonthealtar pic.twitter.com/lqITvTTgu2

— Fisk University (@Fisk1866) January 9, 2023

“I think this is a brilliant and innovative solution and it works for us,” Frederiksen said.

“The enrollment is growing so fast, and the shipping containers provide some sustainable flexibility. We have four current residence halls, but they are aging dormitories. So I think the containers will serve as a sustainable solution for the foreseeable future.”

When the discussion shifted to the student’s feelings regarding the project, Frederiksen claimed that an overwhelming majority “wanted to live in these shipping containers.”

The university executive vice president explained how they addressed the situation.

“We went to the student body, we did town halls, we did some surveys, and the response was incredible. They all wanted to live in these shipping containers.”

Fisk University is reportedly the second school using shipping containers to create more residential buildings for students. The first institute was the College of Idaho. In the past, shipping containers have been used for housing and farming projects.

Fisk University’s shipping container project is scheduled to be completed by fall 2023.

At the same time, the building of the traditional residence halls, funded by a federal loan program, is set to be done the following year.