Bishop Matthew Harkins invited the Dominican friars from the Province of St. Joseph to come to Rhode Island to establish a college. Harkins Hall, named in honor of the bishop, was dedicated May 25, 1919, and Providence College opened with 71 students and nine Dominican Friar faculty members. Harkins Hall has been the recognizable image of Providence College since 1919. It is a curved, neo-Gothic structure. Its pointed arches and vaulted ceilings contribute to a sense of harmony and beauty. Statues of Mary, Saints Albert the Great, Thomas Aquinas, Catherine of Siena, and Saint Dominic are prominent on the façade. Nuanced architectural designs point to the Dominican identity of the College.
Harkins Hall in its early years housed the campus library, a gym, St. Pius parish church, classrooms, laboratories, offices, and a home for Friars on the fourth and fifth floors. Today it is the administrative center for the College with some classrooms and meeting rooms.