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
"College Behind Bars" viewing and dinner
Join Radian Faculty Director Mona Merling and Stouffer Faculty Fellow Arnold Mathijssen for a viewing of an episode of the documentary "College Behind Bars" about the Bard College Prison teaching program. Here is an article about this documentary: https://time.com/5737213/ken-burns-lynn-novick-college-prison-documentary/ The documentary follows men and women in NY prisons as they work toward completing their college degree. The producer of the documentary says that the goal was for "people to acknowledge the amount of humanity and potential that we have locked away in this country and think about the ways in which we can make a more inclusive society for us all." Prof. Merling has been teaching inside NJ prisons for the last years, and will teach in the program that Penn is piloting at SCI Chester next year. Come to learn more about the value of higher education inside prisons. Thursday, February 5, 7pm Dinner will be served. RSVP needed.
Dharma Yuva mindfulness event
YUVA at Penn is a student-led community that creates space for Penn students to explore Dharma traditions, culture, and lived experiences through discussion, reflection, and shared traditions. Our events center on thoughtful conversations, mindfulness, and community-building, offering a welcoming environment for students of all backgrounds to connect, unwind, and learn from one another. This week’s meeting will feature a cozy guided meditation session with music, focused on finding meditation practices that work best for you. We’ll also discuss different expressions of love in Dharma traditions, alongside conversations about managing stress, anxiety, and staying grounded, while enjoying hot chocolate and marshmallows. Friends and new members are always welcome. Partiful RSVP: https://partiful.com/e/qANNStyltAPfKr3NOl7X?c=iZx4jDxF
Special Edition Brain Break: Valentine Charm Painting
Special Edition Brain Break: Valentine Charm Painting Take a pause and get creative at this Special Edition Brain Break designed to help you reset, relax, and make something meaningful. Join us in the MPR for an hour of casual crafting as we paint wooden Valentine charms you can: Hang in your room Gift to someone special Or help decorate shared community spaces in the House This is a low-pressure space to unwind, express your creativity, and take a break from the pace of the semester. All supplies will be provided, and snacks will be available while they last. Come solo or bring a friend, stay for a few minutes or the full hour. This is your time to breathe, create, and recharge.
Focus and Finish Friday
Focus & Finish at Starbucks Take a break, grab a drink on us, and settle into a cozy space to study, unwind, or simply connect with fellow students. Come for the beverage—stay for the company.
News & Announcements
Stouffer Fellow named William T. Grant Scholar
Finding Common Ground in KCECH
Benjamin Franklin Scholars receives $8M endowment
