Our Mission & Values
The College Houses are residential communities for Penn undergraduates that:
- Connect the academic life of the University with the residential experience.
- Develop smaller, intimate communities that students call home and from which they can more comfortably navigate the complexities of a large university.
- Provide academic and personal support to residents.
- Promote social interaction, engagement, accountability and leadership within a setting that honors the diverse needs and backgrounds of the population.
Our Commitment to Respectful and Welcoming Communities
The College Houses are committed to uplifting individuals and communities and challenging one another to understand and value what both binds and distinguishes us. We believe that our residential communities thrive when we consider, acknowledge, and honor all residents. We ask that each community member (resident, staff, or visitor) commit to doing this through the following steps:
- Actively listen to experiences different from your own
- Seek educational opportunities about issues and current events while embracing all intellectual perspectives
- Speak up when you witness or hear something disrespectful even when it is not convenient
- Engage with your community through joining organizations, attending programs, and participating in service and/or advocacy
What Our Houses Offer
Here's all our Houses with a little information about each. Click on any of the arrows to take a deeper dive!
Our Team
The College Houses are each staffed by a hard-working team of professionals who care deeply about their community and how the CHAS mission can help Penn students thrive. They collaborate with the members of Penn's faculty who live alongside undergraduates in the College Houses to create communities that support residents throughout their University experience.
The History of CHAS
Penn has been fostering a vigorous on-campus community since it was first founded more than two centuries ago. In 1998, Penn decided to extend the successful faculty-in-residence model it had created at Van Pelt College House and Du Bois College House across all of its undergraduate residences. Today, with its newest College Houses less than a decade old, Penn's College House system is meeting the challenges of today with adaptable, dynamic communities that bring the University home to almost 6000 undergradutes every year.
Upcoming events in the College Houses
Harlem Dance Theatre- Penn 250: America Unfinished
RSVP by January 14th! Names will be pulled at random. This is a program led by HD Amber in collaboration with the America/Penn 250 initiative. Learn about the performance here: https://pennlivearts.org/event/DTH2026
Dinners With Interesting People 1/20/2026
Our featured guest, Dustin Brisson, is Professor of Biology, and Director of the Evolution and Ecology of Disease Systems Laboratory. His research focuses on Disease ecology, molecular evolution, microbial evolution. He is also the author of _In Pursuit of the Good Life: Strategies for Well-Being and Success in College_
Super Bowl Party
Join us in Gutmann 260 for a festive Super Bowl viewing party! We'll have the game on the big screen, plenty of seating, commercial bingo, and your favorite game-day foods. Dinner will be catered from Papa John's and PrimoHoagies. Kick-off is at 6:30pm—don't forget to bring your team spirit!
KCECH goes to Cirque Mechanics
Soar to new heights in the Philadelphia premiere of Tilt!, a behind-the-scenes adventure amidst the roller coaster, Ferris wheel and more favorites at the theme park. Known for "intelligently conceived and expertly executed" (The New York Times) creations, Cirque Mechanics’ new show offers breathtaking acrobatics, high-flying excitement and zany antics by the cast of characters who keep the rides running and the thrills coming. No long lines here, step right up and hold on tight, the fun’s about to begin!
News & Announcements
Stouffer Fellow named William T. Grant Scholar
Finding Common Ground in KCECH
Benjamin Franklin Scholars receives $8M endowment
