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
First Day of Class Donuts
Happy First Day of Class! Greet faculty fellows and enjoy a donut on your way down Locust Walk.
First day Fuel
Kick off the spring semester the right way! Stop by for FREE smoothies and donuts to power you through your first day of classes. Fresh fuel, good vibes, and a great start to the semester—don’t miss it!
Welcome Back Bagels with Gregory College House
Stop by the Van pelt Lobby for a quick Power-Up! Bagels and Variety of spreads available!
What’s Up Wednesday: Nothing Bundt Goals
Spring semester is here, so it’s time for two things: fresh starts and dessert. Come to What’s Up Wednesday for Nothing Bundt Cakes and our Goal Board—a quick, fun way to put your plans into the universe (and maybe get a little inspiration from everyone else’s). How it works: 1. Grab a sticky note 2. Write your new goal or habit for the semester (academic, social, wellness, routines—anything counts) 3. Chat with others about what you’re aiming for and steal…borrow…their best ideas 4. Cement the goal with a bundt cake, because accountability is great, but frosting helps Drop in, add your sticky note, meet someone new, and leave with a plan (and dessert).
News & Announcements
Stouffer Fellow named William T. Grant Scholar
Finding Common Ground in KCECH
Benjamin Franklin Scholars receives $8M endowment
