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
Finals Study Power Hour
Finals Study Power Hour Multi-Purpose Room Thursday, December 4th @ 7–10 PM Need a boost to power through finals? Join us at Gutmann for a lowkey study space with everything you need to stay focused (or take a well-earned break). We’ll have free Jimmy John’s sandwiches, plenty of room to cram with friends, and a cozy study break corner stocked with puzzles and relaxing activities. Refuel, recharge, and make finals a little less stressful—see you there!
Meditation Class
Join faculty director Deven Patel to learn and practice a breathing mindfulness practice for mental clarity and inner strength. Bring your values card to get a wellness stamp to be one step closer to enter our semester values raffle!
Self-Care, Study Tips, and Snacks w/ DJ
Drop by the MPR for a study break with snacks! Wellness at Penn will be attending to give out study tips, and self care so that you can go back to your work refreshed and ready to crush it!
2026 World Cup Draw Watch Party
The biggest event in the world is coming to Philly (and North America)! Watch along with fellow Rodinites as the first round of matches is set for the 2026 World Cup.
News & Announcements
Stouffer Fellow named William T. Grant Scholar
Finding Common Ground in KCECH
Benjamin Franklin Scholars receives $8M endowment
