LMU Alumni Reminisce on Sullivan and Huesman Halls

UNIVERSITY NEWS | As Sullivan and Huesman halls make way for the bluff’s new state-of-the-art residence halls, decades of LMU alumni fondly remembered their time living in Sullivan and Huesman during the buildings’ 72-year history.

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Kim Nierva Zuno ’06

A few such memories are shared with the LMU community below. For the full story, check out the next LMU Magazine, coming out in December.

“I lived in Sullivan and my boyfriend, now husband, lived in Huesman! He asked me out on our first date in front of the fountain in the middle of the dorms, and when we got married, we knew we had to take pics at that location.”
– Kim Nierva Zuno ’06

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Nicholas Cortez and Albert Cortez ‘95

“My son, Nicholas, was baptized by Luis Proenca, S.J., in Huesman Chapel on Nov. 18, 2001. Nicholas hadn’t been to the chapel since the baptism, and so we wanted to be sure he saw it before it was taken down. We photographed him and his father, Albert ’95, in the chapel during the “Farewell to Huesman and Sullivan” event this past April. Nicholas is happily sporting an LMU sweatshirt, as he is a freshman for this fall! He is a third-generation Lion, since my dad, Robert Buschelman ’61, also is an alumnus.”
– Ann (Buschelman) Cortez ’96

“During the ’70s, there was a very popular 5 p.m. weekday Mass in Huesman Chapel, with 50–70 students in attendance, and very good music. One day when I was the priest for the Mass, I made some comment about God’s power, and at that moment a light earthquake jolted us. We all laughed a bit nervously, and continued on with the liturgy.”
– Randy Roche, S.J.

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Courtney (Hardebeck) ’10 and Donovan McCarty ‘10

“We both came from out of state [Donovan from Michigan and Courtney from Kentucky] and East Quad was the first place we each lived after moving away from our childhood homes – Donovan in Huesman, and Courtney in Sullivan. We met during our freshman year at the front desk in Huesman Hall, where Courtney worked as a check-in attendant. [One day] Donovan was with a group of friends and Courtney had to check them in. We exchanged brief small talk, where Courtney asked if anyone knew how to play euchre [a Midwestern card game]. Donovan was the first person to say yes. While first impressions did not make it seem like we would have a connection, it wasn’t long before Donovan was sitting and talking with Courtney for her entire 4-8 hour shift, which she very much looked forward to! After five months of being “front desk friends,” Courtney made the first move to hang out outside the Huesman front desk. From that point on, we were inseparable. We continued to build the foundation of our relationship in the East Quad, playing cards in the Sullivan lounge, playing piano in the Huesman chapel, eating In-N-Out by the fountain, and walking to class together. We dated for eight years, and got married at Sacred Heart Chapel on May 30, 2015, almost nine years after we met in the East Quad.

When Sullivan and Huesman were being torn down, Donovan secretly reached Donovan Courtney m 2019 300x225 - LMU Alumni Reminisce on Sullivan and Huesman Hallsout to LMU to see if he could attain the front desk where we first met, but sadly, it could not be found. Instead, LMU saved the letter “M” (for our last name) from Huesman. Courtney had no idea Donovan did any of this, and shortly after their four-year wedding anniversary, Courtney received a package from LMU. It was the black “M,” accompanied by a Lions card that read, ‘Thank you for falling in love at LMU.’”
– Courtney (Hardebeck) ’10 and Donovan McCarty ‘10

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