[11][12] The building was officially named after its benefactor,[12] but the Sterling surname was dropped over time, leading to the Hall of Graduate Studies.

[9] The Hall of Graduate Studies opened its doors for the first time on September 29, 1932, coinciding with the start of the academic year.

[13] In March 2015, Yale received a $25 million donation towards transforming the Hall of Graduate Studies into a center for the humanities, which prompted the building's iconic 14-story tower to be named after David Swensen.

Finnegan was tasked with executing James Gamble Rogers's plans, but he made modifications to express a personal disdain for the self-importance of graduate schools.

Although Yale had requested bricks with its name emblazoned on the surface, Finnegan created additional designs to represent senior university officials.

[22] After the Hall of Graduate Studies opened, a previously unnoticed inscription was found on the archway of the building's entrance.

University officials were upset by the inscription's non-scholarly origin, and after a brief investigation, it was revealed that Finnegan was responsible for the unsanctioned chiseling.

[25] In May 2018, the building was the site of an incident where a Black Yale graduate student was reported to the police for napping in her dorm's common room.