A building boom is going on at Southern University as construction has begun on many of the campus’ main buildings and a ground breaking was held for a brand new, 700-unit dormitory that will be the first on campus housing ever at the facility.

According to officials, SUNO was the last four-year public university in Louisiana that did not have a dormitory complex on campus.

"Today we're opening the doors of SUNO to every student in the world, to expose them to the SUNO experience, the nurturing, caring experience that I enjoyed,” said Lea Polk Montgomery,  a 1991 SUNO graduate who is now Vice Chair of the Southern University System Board Of Supervisors.

"We can now say yes to kids that are calling us from London, from African, from the Caribbean," said SUNO’s Chancellor Dr. Victor Ukpolo. He added that the diversity improves education for all students. "People of different backgrounds, people of different cultural values, to have the opportunity to sit in our classrooms, to share their views, their knowledge, and their backgrounds, and learn together.”

But just last October it was a different story as students and faculty held a ‘Save SUNO’ rally. At the time frustrations were boiling over that little was being done to repair the flood-damaged main campus where the buildings had not even been gutted.

At the time the future looked bleak.

"By that rally happening, I knew something, was hoping that would trigger some buttons under somebody, and somebody would get some things done, and thank God that some people moved up on it" said SUNO Junior Jimmy Stack.

Now construction crews are rushing to repair the main campus buildings in time for students to return to the upper floors for the fall semester. Courses that had been dropped have been restored.

"How big the scope has expanded in the course of  a year is amazing,” said  State Representative J.P. Morrell of New Orleans. “ I mean had you told me this last year I wouldn't have believed you."

But for students still attending classes in the trailers on the temporary campus, knowing they will soon be going back to the original classrooms has stirred excitement.

"It’s hard being in the trailers. I cant wait until they get back in the building,” said SUNO student Jade Williams.

"By the time there was the rally that went on down there, I really personally did not believe I would see this happen, and when I see it there is a lot of joy for me as a student,” said Madison Ngafeeson, a SUNO Student from Cameroon. “ I may not live in the dormitories, but I certainly am glad that my fellow friends may be able to live there.”