Stouffer College House is known for its strong sense of community, housing around 300 undergraduates from all four class years. While Stouffer Hall sits atop Wawa and Stouffer Mayer is just across the street, we maintain a unified and connected community across both buildings.
With a rich variety of traditions, activities, and opportunities for engagement, Stouffer is a place where residents truly feel at home. Our common spaces feature foosball, ping-pong, pool, and a variety of board games. When the weather warms up, pick-up basketball games, corn hole, and pickleball tournaments are popular pastimes.
Though no resident stays forever, the spirit of Stouffer lives on through our traditions and the enduring camaraderie shared by all who call it home.
History & Coat of Arms
Stouffer College House—one of Penn’s original College Houses—has a rich history marked by tradition, activism, and a strong sense of community. The House originally consisted of Stouffer Hall at 3702 Spruce Street and quickly earned a reputation for attracting artistic and unique residents.
The House dining hall, known as Stouffer Triangle, was a central part of life, serving both Quad and Stouffer residents. However, in the late 1990s, as the Penn-wide College House system was introduced, the University considered demolishing Stouffer Triangle due to its lack of profitability. In 1999, current residents and alumni fiercely protested, and by September of that year, The Daily Pennsylvanian reported that the “scheduled 2001 destruction of Stouffer Triangle” had been postponed. Faculty Director Phil Nichols summed up the House’s priorities, saying, “We’re more interested in our community than any pile of bricks, even though we love that pile of bricks.” The demolition never occurred, although the dining hall was closed in 2001 to make room for offices.
Mayer Hall, named after Harold C. Mayer—a Wharton alumnus, University Trustee, and senior partner at Bear Stearns—was the first building constructed by the University on the “Super Block” in 1964. Originally designed with blue and yellow panels beneath its windows, these were replaced in the late 1980s. In the early 2000s, Mayer Hall, located a half block west of Stouffer Hall at 3817 Spruce Street, was converted from a graduate student residence to an undergraduate dorm. Mayer was officially integrated into Stouffer College House for the 2001-2002 academic year. The main floor, which had once been a “playroom” for children, was remodeled, and the playground was removed. Today, the space continues to be known as the Playroom, though its use has shifted to sporting event watch parties and music sessions with the House’s baby grand piano.
The two buildings, Stouffer Hall and Mayer Hall, have seamlessly blended into today’s Stouffer College House, with freshmen houses in Stouffer-Stouff, and upperclass in Stouffer-Mayer. The House holds the title of the winningest House in the history of the College House Cup. Michael Housman, a former Stouffer GA, funded the purchase of an oversized trophy, which now bears his name and is displayed in the Mayer Hall lobby. Since the discontinuation of the College House Cup in 2020, Stouffer has introduced an internal House Cup to continue fostering spirit and pride within the community. Teams, divided by the three colors of the coat of arms, compete for the trophy, which is proudly displayed in the Stouffer office.
In 2012, Mayer Hall underwent a significant renovation, receiving new flooring, updated student rooms, and improved bathrooms, kitchenettes, and furniture. In 2023, Stouffer Hall underwent a complete renovation, transforming the building with ADA improvements, upgraded heating and cooling systems, and a refreshed layout. The building retained its beloved single rooms but added more doubles, consolidating the seven kitchens into two. New study spaces, a music room, a mini fitness center, and plenty of hangout areas were created. Further upgrades took place in the summer of 2024, including new flower beds, ADA ramps, and seating areas on the exterior patio, complementing the internal renovations. As always, Stouffer proudly embraces its motto: Nothing comes closer to home!
