You can see it from the towers of Grace and Flanner. You can see it from the library and from Stonehenge. You can see it from the doors of LaFortune. You can even catch a glimpse of it from the North Dining Hall. Are we talking about the Golden Dome? No, we're talking about Breen-Phillips Hall, a small dorm with a big presence on Notre Dame's campus.

Breen-Phillips, located on the southeast corner of North Quad, is one of the oldest dorms on campus. Built in 1939 and converted to a women's dorm in 1973, BP is home to some of the most talented and vivacious women on campus, according to its residents.

"The women of BP are all over the place," freshman Leigh Bothe said. "The girls here are busy all the time."

Known for their spirited nature and healthy appetites, the "Babes" of BP are involved in a variety of activities, ranging from varsity athletics and student government, to community service, where many have an active presence.

Second year rector Rebecca Davidson noted the fraternal nature of BP's residents. "There is a lot of good will between the women in this dorm," she said. "Whether a girl is celebrating a birthday or going through a difficult time, there is always a tremendous amount of support."

The spirituality in BP takes precedence as well. Each Sunday and Wednesday, residents gather in the chapel of St. Francis of Assisi to attend mass.

"Mass is a place where our residents come to be shaped as Christians and to affirm their faith," Davidson said. "This commitment to their faith influences their everyday actions and personal choices."

This commitment was lauded when BP received a special Apostolic blessing in 1984 from Pope John Paul II.

BP also has a great history of interhall sports championships. Winning interhall titles in soccer, basketball, football, and most recently, volleyball, the Babes uphold an upstanding athletic reputation on campus. Legendary football coach Frank Leahy even had an office in the halls of BP.

As for tradition, BP celebrates the opening of football season with an annual bathrobe breakfast where the women can be seen marching to North Dining Hall in their pajamas.

BP's mascot, formerly the Banshees, was changed this year to the Babes as a clever play on the dorm's rather robust reputation.

"Having the not-so flattering stereotype of the Bay of Pigs gives BP a fun loving and spirited attitude and distinguishes us as a dorm," said junior Kerry Donovan.

As one of the smaller women's dorms on campus, BP is a place where "everybody knows your name," said freshman Jessica Manske. "I feel like I've gotten to know most of the freshman here as well as a lot of upperclassman, which I don't think I would have gotten to do had I been in a larger dorm."

This past weekend, BP held its third annual beach party, a night of music, dancing and tropical fun on an otherwise rainy February night. The spirited Babes spent most of the afternoon decorating their sections, turning the dorm into a tropical paradise Jimmy Buffet would have been proud to call home. More than 70 percent of the dorm attended, making BP's winter SYR a great success and a lot of fun.

"There is a great sense of community here. I love being involved in the dorm became you get to meet so many people you wouldn't otherwise get to interact with," said hall co-president Mary Ellen Wilson.

RA Jamie Fanning agreed. "Breen-Phillips is the most unique place I've ever lived," she said. "If I had the opportunity to do it again, I would live here. I love living here, and wanted to be an RA to give back what BP has given to me. However, I feel like I've only gotten more out of it. BP just keeps on giving back to you."

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