Welcome!
Welcome home to Kings Court English College House! KCECH is nestled between the Penn Campus and larger Philadelphia community. KCECH is conveniently located minutes away from Locust Walk, Van Pelt, Huntsman Hall and the Penn Bookstore. KCECH prioritizes providing necessary tools to excel academically and fosters a community to inspire intellectually curious and compassionate leaders of the future. Whether you're living in Kings Court or in English House, we're thrilled to meet you and to have you as part of the KCECH community. (That's pronounced KAY-check, by the way!)
KCECH is more than just a place to live; it's a place where you can thrive academically, socially, and personally during your time at Penn. You have the opportunity to engage in a variety of programs, excursions, events and activities that will enhance your college experience. There really is something at KCECH for everyone. Our faculty who lives at KCECH are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and intellectually stimulating environment where residents can grow and learn together, and our KCECH team members are here to ensure that you can find all the resources you need to excel at Penn.
At KCECH, get ready for an incredible journey filled with opportunities, friendships, and personal growth. We can't wait to see all that you will accomplish during your time here.
Coat of Arms and House Motto
Scientia Vos Liberabit was adopted as the House motto in 2001. It means "Knowledge Shall Set You Free," which is altogether appropriate for a House that promotes intellectual curiosity.
History
Many of the buildings on campus are rich in history and tradition. The King’s Court and English House buildings have likewise seen many changes over the past decades since their creation. Here is a short overview of the history of the dorm we now know as King’s Court English College House. King’s Court was originally a luxury apartment complex consisting of three separate buildings. It was elaborately decorated with paneled dining rooms, as well as containing private bathrooms, servants’ quarters, and dumbwaiters (and so rightfully named King’s Court).
During WWII, King’s Court was stripped of its luxuries and transformed into a dormitory for the Nursing Cadet Corp. After the war, nursing students from the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania moved into the dorm. King’s Court remained in their hands until the University phased out the three-year nursing program in 1975.
In 1960, Thomas English, a wealthy Penn alumnus, funded the building of a second dorm named in his honor: English House. At that time, the three buildings of King’s Court were joined into a single building by elevator lobbies. (This explains the uneven heights of the three wings of King’s Court).
In the fall of 1978, KCECH became the integrated co-ed residence that we now know and love. Today, KCECH is designated as Penn’s 21st-Century Residence, a project designed to reinvent the meaning of college house in residential life. There are six living-learning programs in-house: the Science and Technology Wing (STWing), Perspectives in Humanities, Biosphere, and Huntsman, . Roughly 400 freshmen and upperclassmen call it home every year.