Mercer Times

Princeton University has announced that it will rename the building at 36 University Place in honor of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, a member of the Class of 1976. President Christopher L. Eisgruber expressed his enthusiasm for this decision, stating, "As a trailblazing student, a loyal alumnus, a University trustee, and an extraordinary jurist, Justice Sotomayor has lived Princeton’s values fully and beautifully. I’m delighted that her name will grace our campus and inspire generations of students now and in the future."

The building houses programs supporting first-generation college students, lower-income individuals, transfer students, and veterans. It is also home to the Emma Bloomberg Center for Access and Opportunity, the Center for Career Development, and the undergraduate Admission Information Center. Additionally, one of Princeton's two university store locations is situated there.

Eisgruber highlighted the significance of naming the building Sonia Sotomayor Hall: "Sonia Sotomayor Hall houses programs at the heart of Princeton’s ongoing commitment to attract exceptional students from all backgrounds and help them flourish as members of this campus community. I could not imagine a better namesake for this building than Justice Sotomayor."

A portrait of Justice Sotomayor will be added to Princeton's permanent art collection as part of its initiative to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions over the past 75 years. The initiative aims to honor those who have excelled in their fields or contributed significantly to Princeton's culture.

Justice Sotomayor has served on the U.S. Supreme Court since 2009 as an associate justice. She is recognized as both the first justice of Hispanic heritage and the third woman justice in Supreme Court history. Her connection with Princeton extends beyond her education; she was also a former University trustee.

Her impact on Princeton includes inspiring a modification to its informal motto during her Alumni Day speech in 2014 by adding "the Service of Humanity" alongside Woodrow Wilson's original words. In recognition of her influence, alumni established the Sonia Sotomayor 1976 Scholarship Fund in 2019 to support first-generation students committed to service.

The decision to name Sonia Sotomayor Hall was approved by Princeton's Board of Trustees following a recommendation from the Council of the Princeton University Community (CPUC) Committee on Naming. Stephen Macedo, former chair of this committee, praised Justice Sotomayor’s career: “has exemplified to an extraordinary degree this University’s core values of service, truth-seeking and justice.”

Since 2016, several spaces at Princeton have been named after notable individuals connected with the university upon advice from CPUC's naming committee—examples include Morrison Hall for Nobel laureate Toni Morrison; Laura Wooten Hall for election poll worker Laura Wooten; and Ikeda Arch for Kentaro Ikeda.

Other portraits commissioned under Princeton’s History and Sense of Place initiative honor figures such as Nobel laureate Sir W. Arthur Lewis; Bill Bradley; Denny Chin; José Ferrer; Carl A. Fields; Elaine Fuchs; Robert J. Rivers; Ruth Simmons; Alan M. Turing among others.