House Life

House Life

Program Communities: Shared curiosity, shared space.

FY - First Year= open to first-year students
UP - Upper Class= open to upperclass students
C - Credit= academic credit available

Click a community listing title to expand and explore in detail.

 

 

 

FY - First Year= open to first-year students
UP - Upper Class= open to upperclass students
C - Credit= academic credit available

Click a community listing title to expand and explore in detail.
 

 

 

FY - First Year= open to first-year students
UP - Upper Class= open to upperclass students
C - Credit= academic credit available

Click a community listing title to expand and explore in detail.
 

 


World Cultures and Languages

Open to Upperclass Students

“And what is still far stranger than that is that not only does one branch of knowledge come to be in us while another passes away and that we are never the same even in respect of our knowledge, but that each single piece of knowledge has the same fate. For what we call studying exists because knowledge is leaving us, because forgetting is the departure of knowledge, while studying puts back a fresh memory in place of what went away, thereby preserving a piece of knowledge, so that it seems to be the same.”

– The Symposium
                                

These words have been read for millennia, but how – and why – do we still engage critically with some of the most ancient thinkers? It is fitting that one of the oldest Program Communities bridges the gap between antiquity and modernity through an interdisciplinary approach set in an intimate community. Resident Advisors (RAs) and residents in the Ancient Studies PC collaborate on activities that include trips to relevant museum exhibits and Penn and in the Philadelphia area, discussions with professors and notable figures in ancient studies, and weekly themed social events. These events and activities are shaped by residents’ interests each year and encompass exploration of ancient cultures, politics, philosophy, performance, etc. This program is well-suited for the student who takes initiative, is dedicated to the mission of residential programming, and is seeking intellectual and personal growth.

Program Goals: The Program provides an intellectual and social space for students who wish to interact both broadly and deeply with the art, languages, literature, and philosophies from ancient times. At the conclusion of the academic year, residents will have developed their critical thinking skills, taken on leadership roles, and engaged with these topics through an interdisciplinary model. 

Participant Expectations: The Program RAs will review details and activities at the beginning of the academic year, where residents will receive their Ancient Studies Compact. Residents will be expected to participate in the following, as decided by the RAs:

  • 1 major event per month
  • 1 minor event per month
  • Implement 1 minor floor event as determined by the RAs
  • Host 1 House program per semester
Program Location: 14th floor

Special Amenities: Program lounges, priority reservations




Contact:
Megan Jimmerson, House Director
[field_contact_email]

For more information and application instructions, see:
Ancient Studies


This program has 64 members.
Open to Upperclass Students

The Asian/Asian American Program Community aims to bring together both students that identify as part of the Asian and/or Asian American community, or who have an interest in learning more about the needs and concerns of this community. Through connections with academic and co-curricular resources, this Program Community focuses on community building through personal and group reflection, programming, and connection to both campus and off campus opportunities.

Program Goals:

• To open an additional space aside from academic coursework or involvement in student groups to explore Asian and Asian American topics
• To promote deeper reflection on Asian and Asian American identity, especially the diversity of experiences that the community tries to encompass
• To connect students to other resources on campus for exploring Asian and Asian American identity, as well as the field of Asian American studies
• To support opportunities for students to participate in events on campus and in Philadelphia together

Participation Expectations:

Participants will be expected to participate in programs organized by the PC RA and to take a leadership role in developing programs throughout the year.

Sample Events and Traditions:

Drawing from the former East Asia Program Community, this will be the first year for the Asian/Asian American Program Community, so residents can expect to be heavily involved with shaping the direction of this residential experience and involved in the development of new traditions. We will attend programs on campus, connect with the rich Asian and Asian American communities in Philadelphia through festivals, community service opportunities, academic resources, and more.

Program Location: 18th Floor





Contact:
Megan Jimmerson, House Director
[field_contact_email]

For more information and application instructions, see:
Asian/Asian American Program Community


This program has 25 members.
Open to Upperclass Students

“It seems to me, Govinda, that love is the most important thing in the world. It may be important to great thinkers to examine the world, to explain and despise it. But I think it is only important to love the world, not to desire it, not for us to hate each other, but to be able to regard the world and ourselves and all beings with love, admiration and respect.”

                                —Herman Hesse’s Siddhartha

How do we regard the world with all its complexities and nuances, as well as the multitude of cultures found throughout the globe? The International Residential Program (IP) creates a dynamic space where residents can learn about other cultures and ways of living. Resident Advisors and Graduate Associates (RAGAs) and residents alike facilitate cooperative learning through dinner and discussions, participation in the annual Coffeehouse & Food Festival, and creation of cultural displays that are shown on the floors. Residents have also attended museum exhibition tours and special events in the Philadelphia area. As part of the Harnwell Cultures Collective, residents will showcase the integrated experience and interconnectedness of cultural commonality in scholarly and creative presentations at the annual Harnwell Symposium.

IP events and activities are shaped by residents’ interests each year and encompass exploration of international cultures, policies, cuisine, theater, music, etc. This program is well-suited for the student who takes initiative, is dedicated to the mission of the Cultures Collective, and is seeking intellectual and personal growth.

Program Goals: The Program invites residents to expand their understanding of other cultures and foster an appreciation for living in an intercultural community. At the conclusion of the academic year, residents will have developed their critical thinking skills, taken on leadership roles, and engaged with these topics through an interdisciplinary model. 

Participant Expectations: The Program RAGAs will review details and activities at the beginning of the academic year, where residents will receive their IP Compact. Residents will be expected to participate in the following, as decided by the RAGAs:

  • 1 major event per month
  • 1 minor event per month
  • Implement 1 minor floor event as determined by the RAGAs
  • Host 1 House program per semester
Program Location: 20th floor





Contact:
Megan Jimmerson, House Director
[field_contact_email]

For more information and application instructions, see:
International Program


This program has 64 members.
Open to Upperclass Students

Está más lejos Río de Río que tú a mí.
¿Cómo es eso?
¿Cómo es que acabando de llegar ya te hayas ido
y teniéndote cerca de mí toda la vida
no te he nunca tenido nunca?

¿Cómo es que mirándote en el espejo
has desaparecido del cuarto
y después de tanta presencia
solo tenemos la ausencia?

 

            

It is farther from Rio to Rio than you to me.
How is that?
How is it you’ve just arrived and you’ve already left
and having you near me all life long,
I’ve never had a grasp on you?

And how is it, watching you in the mirror,
you disappear from the room
and after so much presence
we grasp the absence, only?

—Homero Aridjis

How do we meaningfully engage with identity while learning about it? What do Latinx and Latin American identities teach us about identity and community? Established by students in 1985, the LARP – Latin American Residential Program – provides an inclusive and engaged residential community to expand our understanding and foster an appreciation for Latinx and Latin American cultures and languages in the College Houses. Students build community each other as they live on the same floor and Resident Advisors and Graduate Resident Associates (RAGRAs) serve as support for residents to cultivate interactions, experiences, and discoveries.

The Program invites residents to expand their understanding of other cultures and foster an appreciation for living in an intercultural community. At the conclusion of the academic year, residents will have:
• engage in personal identity exploration as well as develop understanding of the needs of different communities within the Latinx diaspora.
• learned about a wide variety of cultural traditions, to celebrate their own, and to engage meaningfully with traditions that are new to them.
• connected to other resources on campus for exploring Latinx community needs and identity, as well as developing a cocurricular experience alongside the Center for Latin American and Latinx Studies
• developed their critical thinking skills
• taken on leadership roles, and engaged with these topics through an interdisciplinary model.

Participants will be expected to participate in programs organized by the PC RA and to take a leadership role in developing programs throughout the year. Residents can expect to be heavily involved with shaping the direction of this residential experience and involved in the development of new traditions. We will attend programs on campus, connect with the rich Latinx communities in Philadelphia through festivals, community service opportunities, academic resources, and more.

In the past, Domingo Social and Café con Leche Conversations have provided dynamic and topical discussions. Events like a private dinner with the Mexican Consul and viewings of documentaries about Latin America have also contributed to student learning. Most recently, LARP has hosted an interactive maraca painting workshop in collaboration with La Casa Latina, hosted a showing of In the Heights featuring authentic Mexican food catering from Don Barriga, and planned a trip to South Philly Barbacoa to support thriving Latinx communities living in Philadelphia.

Program Goals: The Program invites residents to expand their understanding of other cultures and foster an appreciation for living in an intercultural community. At the conclusion of the academic year, residents will have developed their critical thinking skills, taken on leadership roles, and engaged with these topics through an interdisciplinary model. 

Participant Expectations: The Program RAGAs will review details and activities at the beginning of the academic year, where residents will receive their LARP Compact. Residents will be expected to participate in the following, as decided by the RAGAs:

  • 1 major event per month
  • 1 minor event per month
  • Implement 1 minor floor event as determined by the RAGAs
  • Host 1 House program per semester
Program Location: 16th & 17th floors





Contact:
Megan Jimmerson, House Director
[field_contact_email]

For more information and application instructions, see:
Latin American Residential Program


This program has 31 members.

Arts & Letters

Open to Upperclass Students

“Of such wisdom, the poetic passion, the desire of beauty, the love of art for its own sake, has most. For art comes to you proposing frankly to give nothing but the highest quality to your moments as they pass, and simply for those moments’ sake.”

– Walter Pater

How often do you experience moments as inspired by art? In all of art’s iterations and all the ways in which we engage with art, we can quickly lose track of those essential moments. As residents of Arts House Program Community, you will continue to be advocates of the arts. This call challenges residents to be more than consumers of the arts, and will create opportunities to experience, philosophically contemplate, and showcase art in your campus home.

By experiencing highlights of Philadelphia’s artistic offerings, such as Opera on the Mall, First Friday gallery openings, The Philadelphia Orchestra, and theater performances, Arts House can engage with and think about the process and presentation of artistic endeavors. Each spring semester, residents model those experiences with the annual Arts House Gallery Opening, which features local artists – visual, musical, performance – in Harnwell’s gallery and theater spaces. 

This program is well-suited for the student who takes initiative, is dedicated to the mission of art advocacy, and is seeking intellectual and personal growth.

Program Goals: The Program invites residents to expand their understanding of the arts and foster an appreciation of different genres of art and learn more about the history of artists, composers, and particular works of art.  Program residents will also have the opportunity to form and communicate opinions about various issues in the arts within a safe, supportive community. At the conclusion of the academic year, residents will have developed their critical thinking skills, taken on leadership roles, and engaged with these topics through an interdisciplinary model. 

Participant Expectations: The Program RAGAs will review details and activities at the beginning of the academic year, where residents will receive their Arts House Compact. Residents will be expected to participate in the following, as decided by the RAGAs:

  • 1 major event per month
  • 1 minor event per month
  • Implement 1 minor floor event as determined by the RAGAs
  • Host 1 House program per semester
Program Location: 12th and 13th floors

Special Amenities: Program lounges, priority reservations




Contact:
Megan Jimmerson, House Director
[field_contact_email]

For more information and application instructions, see:
Arts House


This program has 63 members.
Open to Upperclass Students

Members will assist in the production of Front Row’s productions including the company’s NSO, Fall, Winter, and Spring productions.   Members will also coordinate community service projects planned in connection with Front Row’s performances.  In addition, members of the program will collaborate in readings of plays and the creation of original dramatic and artistic works to be presented in Harrison College House.  In partnership with the Penn Art Club members of the program will meet local artists and alumni (playwrights, visual artists, and performers) to gain different perspectives about the arts community. Find out more on the Front Row Theatre website, and check out the Penn Art Club website.

Goals: Harrison’s Front Row Theatre Company Program provides its participants with the opportunity to encounter and study a broad range of artistic media and expression; to learn from other program residents, who come from diverse academic and artistic backgrounds; to take artistic risks within a supportive community.

Expectations: Members of the program will be expected to participate in Harrison’s Front Row Theatre; organize and participate in Harrison’s regular Art-In programs; organize and attend Harrison’s Art Speakers Series; develop Harrison’s original art series through collaborations in playwriting, filmmaking, or other forms of expressive arts.

Location: Harrison’s Front Row and the Arts Community Program in Harrison will be located on the 7th and 8th floors of Harrison College House.  

Program Location: 7th floor, Harrison College House





Contact:
Eric Cottrell, House Director
[field_contact_email]

For more information and application instructions, see:
Front Row Theatre & the Arts


This program has 66 members.
Open to First-year Students

The Wendy and Leonard Goldberg Media & Communications Program, nestled in the westernmost end of Fisher Hassenfeld College House in the Quad, is open to students in any major or academic field and provides ample space to live and work. The program is centered in Foerderer, McKean, Baldwin, Class of 1887, and Craig – known collectively as Goldberg House, with the nearby Goldberg Media Lounge serving as the principal public space. Named for film producer Leonard Goldberg and his wife, Wendy, the program draws members who share an interest not only in film, but for all forms of communications media, including broadcasting, publishing, journalism, digital media, marketing, and public relations, and political communication.

The Goldberg Media & Communications program is for students who have a broad academic interest in mass media and who are interested in applying communications theory and practice to benefit others.  Residents in this program work together to design a media campaign that they envision and execute with the goal of generating a positive impact in their residential community. The campaign may include creating videos, writing a newsletter, designing advertisements, developing a blog, and/or other media-related activities. The program also includes communications-themed social activities, like movie nights and attending events in the Philadelphia area.

Goals: This program aims to provide first-year students with an opportunity to further develop their creativity and leadership skills by learning about mass communications and using that knowledge to create a positive social impact.

 

Program Location: Throughout the House

Special Amenities: Goldberg Media Lounge




Contact:
Ebonish Lamar, House Director
[field_contact_email]

For more information and application instructions, see:
Goldberg Media and Communications Program


This program has 43 members.
Open to First-year Students

Perspectives in the Humanities is a community focused on the elevated appreciation of the arts and the humanities through shared experiences. Members of Perspectives in the Humanities come from diverse backgrounds, but are united by a common passion for the humanities. One need not study the humanities to apply—the program merely calls for a genuine interest and desire to spend time with fellow humanists. PiH is dedicated to fostering an appreciation and the discussion of the humanities at Penn: in the arts and music, literature, languages, theater, history, philosophy, anthropology, religion, jurisprudence, ethics, and beyond.  Signature events include the Penn Author Forum, speakeasy events, theater and museum outings in Philadelphia, and notable cultural events within the city.

Goals: The goal of PiH is to create an environment conducive to studying and enjoying the humanities beyond the classroom, where students feel comfortable discussing their creative thoughts with others, both formally and socially.

Program Location: KC 4th floor

Special Amenities: In-House music room and multimedia lounge for cultural events and cinema




Contact:
Dr. Krimo Bokreta, House Director
[field_contact_email]

For more information and application instructions, see:
Perspectives in Humanities


This program has 26 members.
Open to Upperclass Students

Whether the arts are your whole life and your constant activity, or whether you have a budding curiosity and simply crave exposure to art appreciation and education, or maybe you just want to be around people who value artistic endeavor and curiosity, the Rodin Arts Collective (TRAC)  floor warmly welcomes you. There are no pressing or pressured commitments—rich and varied programming is offered (e.g., performing-arts outings on campus and beyond; museum trips; in-House activities, etc.), and almost always opens up to the House to broaden the impact on the larger community. 

Program Location: 9th floor

Special Amenities: Program lounge with upright piano and electric piano




Contact:
Jamuna Samuel, Rodin College House Fellow
[field_contact_email]

For more information and application instructions, see:
The Rodin Arts Collective (TRAC)


This program has 29 members.

Identity & Self

Open to Upperclass Students

Through experiential programming, interactions with staff, and connecting to campus resources we encourage students in the BL(o)C to integrate wellness into all aspects of their Rodin experience. The BL(o)C provides students the opportunity to engage with seven dimensions of wellness to improve their quality of life and enrich their experience at Penn. The seven dimensions of wellness are: Social, Emotional, Spiritual, Environmental, Occupational, Intellectual, Physical.

Program Objectives: 

  • Identify and articulate a personal definition of wellness that integrates the seven dimensions
  • Identifying holistic wellness “strengths” and “weaknesses” in your own life, and developing a plan for addressing the areas where you want to experience additional grow in terms of wellness
  • Challenge themselves, through healthful living practices, to strive for wholeness and balance in their lives.
Program Location: 23rd floor

Special Amenities: Program lounge




Contact:
Stephanie Burke Lewis, Rodin House Director
[field_contact_email]

For more information and application instructions, see:
Balanced Living Community (listed in application as "Wellness Community")


This program has 24 members.
Open to First-year Students

Are you the first in your family to go to college?

If so, we would like to introduce you to the many resources and opportunities available to you on campus. Join with other first-generation college students in taking a behind-the-scenes look at how the University works. Members of the First Generation, First Step Programming Community will learn how to navigate Penn and understand the keys to succeeding both in and out of the classroom. You will connect with students, faculty, and staff who identify as first-generation and meet people from offices all across campus who can help you during your college years.

Program Location: 2nd floor Brooks and Leidy





Contact:
Ebonish Lamar, Fisher Hassenfeld House Director
[field_contact_email]




This program has 15 members.
Open to Upperclass Students

HarrisonQ is a safe and celebratory place to explore LGBTQ+ identities, community, history, and advocacy both at Penn and around the world. 

Co-sponsored by Harrison College House and the LGBT Center, students who live in HarrisonQ will:

  • Engage in programming that centers LGBT people and culture
  • Participate in programs such as National Coming Out Date, Philadelphia LGBT Excursions, International Transgender Day of Visibility,
  • Gain an understanding of LGBT history and advocacy both in Philadelphia and throughout the US 
  • Identify ways in which they can contribute to building community in Harrison and in the LGBT Center 
Program Location: Harrison





Contact:
Eric Cottrell, House Director
[field_contact_email]

For more information and application instructions, see:
Harrison College House



Open to Upperclass Students

The JCS Program connects residents to academic programming, facilitates interfaith dialogue, and creates new opportunities for residents to learn more about Jewish culture while building both a floor and a house community.   

Past JCS events have included Shabbat celebrations and a challah making night. Residents regularly participate in prayer services as a community, and JCS has a strong relationship with Hillel.

JCS also offers students the chance to shape their Residential Program experience by taking on leadership roles and planning events for the floor and the House.

Program Objectives:

  • Gain an understanding of Jewish Culture in order to appreciate history and tradition

  • Encourage dialogue about Jewish Culture in order to consider different viewpoints

  • Create opportunities for members of the non-Jewish community to experience and learn about Jewish Culture

  • Study Jewish Culture in a way that supplements one’s curricular education at Penn

  • Develop relationships and network

  • Identify ways in which they can contributed to building a the Rodin community

Expectations and Participation:  Members of the JCS floor should expect to attend floor meetings, participate in the annual Rodin Showcase, and generally be active members of their floor and House communites.  

Program Location: 2nd floor

Special Amenities: Program lounge




Contact:
Hsiao-wen Cheng, Rodin College House Fellow
[field_contact_email]

For more information and application instructions, see:
Jewish Cultural Studies


This program has 33 members.
Open to Upperclass Students

The Muslim Life Residential Program provides residents with an experiential living and learning space focused on the appreciation of Islamic culture, food, history, and practice, providing students of any background a chance to learn about the local effect of Islam and the daily experiences of Muslims. Islam is deeply integrated in the culture of Philadelphia particularly, so this program offers students across Penn a way to appreciate how Islam influences daily life in the home of one of the largest Muslim communities in North America.

The program will offer regular opportunities for lectures and academic programs about Islamic perspectives on student life, including explorations of Islam’s rich history in Philadelphia, spiritual perspectives on mental health, and the ways Islamic/faith-based ethics manifest in fields like healthcare and business.  Social activities will be a big part of the program as well, exploring the Philadelphia halal restaurant scene, touring historic sites in the city, and performing community service with the West Philadelphia Muslims Serve project.  

Additionally, this program floor offers a space where Muslim students on campus can comfortably explore their own faith identity. Opportunities and space for communal prayer will be provided.

Program Location: 9th Floor

Special Amenities: Community Lounge




Contact:
Megan Jimmerson, House Director
[field_contact_email]

For more information and application instructions, see:
Muslim Life Residential Program



Open to Upperclass Students

The Transfer Living Community (TLC) will be a space for transfer students who reside on campus to interact and learn from one another. Incoming and returning transfer students will live in this community and form a mentoring relationship with one another. New transfer students who join this community can immediately be immersed in the Penn community while also having neighbors who have shared experiences with them. TLC will be a community that enhances the transfer student experience through fun and creative ways.

Program Objectives and Intended Outcomes

  • Learn from the shared experiences of other transfer students at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Be a part of a community that supports exploration of the campus and Philadelphia communities.
  • Access to programming that is designed to meet the specific needs and interests of transfer students.
  • Form meaningful relationships and a community of support while at the University of Pennsylvania.

Participation Expectations

Students will be expected to attend floor events such as discussion/mentorship dinners. Students will also be encouraged to attend at least one social and wellness event a month. Students will be expected to engage with the floor RA in providing feedback on floor programming and engaging in 1-on-1 discussions.

Program Location: Rodin





Contact:
Stephanie Burke Lewis, Rodin House Director
[field_contact_email]

For more information and application instructions, see:
Transfer Living Community


This program has 31 members.

Science, Technology, Engineering & Math

Open to First-year Students

Biosphere provides an exciting and fun atmosphere to all residents with an interest in the environment and in how people interact with the world around them. Biosphere evolves each year with its residents, who themselves control the specific direction the program will take. Volunteerism tends to characterize the spirit of student participation, with members often occupied with such activities as UC Green tree-plantings, involvement in the MLK Day of Service, and the House’s Courtyard Garden upkeep. Exploring all that Philadelphia has to offer means outings to the Franklin Institute, Morris Arboretum, Chinatown, the Italian Market, the Liberty Bell, and the Zoo, as well as sampling Philly restaurants. Horseback riding, skiing, canoeing, and exploring Philadelphia-area nature preserves are fun ways to interact with the natural environment, while regular faculty talks, workshops and educational opportunities better acquaint students with their academic environment.

Whether you are pre-medical student interested in health, society, and community outreach; the student scientist hoping to save the rain forest; the business major who wants to start up a company; or the student in the humanities examining the cultural and ethical impacts of greenhouse effect and climate change, the Biosphere program can offer a great living and learning experience unlike any other.

Goals: Biosphere sets out to provide participating students a greater appreciation for and understanding of their impact on the ecosystem and on one another, through their explorations of Penn, the greater Philadelphia area, and their own community interactions.

 

Program Location: KC 1st floor

Special Amenities: Courtyard Garden plot




Contact:
Dr. Krimo Bokreta, House Director
[field_contact_email]

For more information and application instructions, see:
Biosphere: The Active Experience


This program has 13 members.
Open to Upperclass Students

Engineers in the Arts is a living and learning community of students in engineering who also want to pursue interests in the creative arts. Members of this program will explore many forms of creative arts, including painting, sculpture, cinema, video games, and literature. The program will center around two day trips - one to the Guggenheim and the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, and one to the Smithsonians in Washington DC. Additionally, there will be movie and game nights where members will experience the media and discuss how its aspects shape the viewers' experience. Participants in this program will have the chance to expand their horizons and explore their interests in many diverse artistic genres, as well as bond with other members of the community through a shared interest in art.

Program Location: Rodin





Contact:
Kerry Zhao
[field_contact_email]

For more information and application instructions, see:
Engineers in the Arts



Open to First-year Students

Extending beyond Kings Court English House, the Science and Technology Wing (STWing) is a network of over two hundred undergraduates, graduate students, professors, and alumni from the University of Pennsylvania whose members share a strong interest in the science and technologies that permeate everyday life. While its reach is campus-wide, however, STWing’s simultaneous status as a residential program helps maintain a flourishing intellectual and social community foundation both for the College House and the larger society. A great synergetic learning community, STWingers are always getting together to build something – from blimps to space cameras – relying on their collective knowledge of physics, engineering, computer science, as well as art and sense of humor to do so. In addition to these inventive pursuits, the pioneering residents of STWing have for years owned and maintained their own timesharing servers, raised money to fund a research fellowship, and helped produce a science journal of undergraduate research. Throughout the year the program hosts a dinner-discussion series to which University faculty, staff, and interesting non-Penn guests are invited, as well as purely social events planned by students. The program is entirely student run by its Continuum (Student Governance), though students often work closely with faculty on their projects and with House staff in planning their social activities. 

Goals: STWing sets out to provide its members with the connections, structure, and resources (financial and otherwise) necessary to pursue projects of their own interests. The network of faculty and alumni associated with the program provides a personalized mentoring experience within this community context. The program teaches students to dare, but also to have fun and be collaborative in the process.

For more information: E-mail info@stwing.upenn.edu.

Program Location: KC 2nd floor

Special Amenities: Makerspace "Blimp Room"




Contact:
Dr. Krimo Bokreta, House Director
[field_contact_email]

For more information and application instructions, see:
Science and Technology Wing (STWing)


This program has 48 members.
Open to First-year Students

Women in Computer Science, Kings Court English’s newest program, was born out of an awareness that with women representing fewer than 15% of all computer scientists, female undergraduate who aspire to enter the field of Computer Science could benefit from the structure, community, and mentoring of a residential program. WiCS provides residents with opportunities to study together, to mentor and advise one another, and to build confidence within a non-competitive environment. Members of the well-established KCECH program, the Science and Technology Wing (STWing), also work supportively and collaboratively with the WiCS program. Topics of learning include Web development, Android development, Linux, and more through workshops held in the House or co-sponsored with the departments of Computer Science or Digital Media Design. Activities include social coding programs, dinners with faculty members, and trips to visit tech companies like Google; these events may be co-sponsored with organizations such as the CSE-sponsored, non-residential WiCS organization, Weiss Tech House, the Dining Philosophers, and the Women’s Center, among others.

Goals: WiCS’s mission is to provide a safe, supportive living-learning environment for women who study computer science and hope to one day make their careers in that field. As part of that mission, the program seeks to provide faculty and peer mentorship especially to the youngest members of the community.

Program Location: EH 3rd Floor





Contact:
Dr. Krimo Bokreta, House Director
[field_contact_email]

For more information and application instructions, see:
Women in Computer Science


This program has 11 members.

Leadership Development

Open to Upperclass Students

Harrison College House embodies its House values of Curiosity, Inclusion, Service, and Wellness in various ways. Through the Harrison Serves Program Community, students will immerse themselves in civic engagement and service. Residents will have the opportunity to broaden their understanding of civic engagement and how to make a positive impact on the local, national, and global communities through service opportunities. Students who participate in the Harrison Serves Programming Community will embody our coat of arms, “Non sibi sed toti,” or “not for the self, but for everyone.”

Program Location: Harrison





Contact:
Eric Cottrell, House Director
[field_contact_email]

For more information and application instructions, see:
Harrison Serves



Open to First-year Students

The member nations of the World Health Organization have endorsed “Health for All” and have challenged us to take individual and collective action to achieve that goal via Health21—Health for all in the 21st Century. But what do we mean by “health” and what would it take to achieve it for all? This program community will take on that challenge, engaging students across disciplines and programs to explore and connect the multiple dimensions that influence health and its pursuit—social, political, economic/financial, management, cultural, environmental, ethical, historical, technology, research/innovation, and health care access, among others—and what it will take to lead the way.

Program Location: Hill





Contact:
Prof. Julie Sochalski, Hill Faculty Director
[field_contact_email]




This program has 43 members.
Open to First-year Students

Participants in the Riepe Mentors Program form a unique team dedicated to serving children in West Philadelphia public schools and community-based programs. Under the direction of senior faculty at Penn's Graduate School of Education and with the support of the Netter Center, participants mentor children in elementary, middle, and high schools, devoting at least two hours a week to such activities, as well as attending monthly dinners with faculty to discuss their experiences. Participation in the Mentors Program is available to all residents of Riepe College House.

Goals: The Mentors program aims to familiarize its residents with West Philadelphia by connecting them with children who live and attend West Philadelphia schools. In the process, mentors learn about the challenges facing kids in Philadelphia’s educational system, while also learning about the talents and great potential of these students. Throughout the year, mentors have the opportunity to develop their own leadership skills, gain exceptional pre-career experience, and discover the rewards of community service.

 

Program Location: open to all Riepe residents





Contact:
Dr. Marsha Richardson, Riepe College House Fellow
[field_contact_email]

For more information and application instructions, see:
Mentors Program



Open to First-year Students

Women have broken through the glass ceiling enjoying successful careers in politics, journalism, medicine; leading fortune 500 companies; and being accomplished artists, performers and musicians. But have you ever wondered how they got there? What was their major in college and did they use their major to get there? What are the challenges specific to being a woman leader in today's world?

The core of this program is two-fold:

(1) to build an intentional community of future women in leadership and individuals who seek to encourage their experiences, (2) to increase understanding of how gender dynamics continue to influence the personal lives of women, and (3) to provide mentorship and real-life examples of how women have become distinguished Penn Alumnae.

The program will highlight the range of careers that exist for Penn graduates, specifically by inviting accomplished women across the university and beyond from their respective fields for interactive discussions. Participants will hear how the speakers have broken the mold from an executive, entrepreneur, professor, and recent working alumna perspective, while making meaningful contacts with important professional mentors.

Program Location: 4th floors of Bodine and Morris





Contact:
Ware House Office
[field_contact_email]

For more information and application instructions, see:
Penn Women in Leadership


This program has 18 members.
Open to First-year Students

Policy, Politics and Social Change participants will explore topics of policy and political interest and how societal concerns get translated into policy and practice through formal and informal discussions, speakers representing diverse multi-disciplinary perspectives from within Penn and the broader community and ‘hands-on’ volunteer experiences. The challenges of policy development and implementation, particularly within the context of cyclical U.S. political elections, will be a major focus.

Policy, Politics & Social Change with Vice President Joe Biden, 2019

Program Goals: This program gives program participants the chance to learn more about the complexities of American politics, and the difficulty in translating policy into realizable solutions to social, political, and economic problems.

Program Location: 2nd floor Fitler, Baird, and Hopkinson





Contact:
Ebonish Lamar, House Director
[field_contact_email]

For more information and application instructions, see:
Policy, Politics and Social Change


This program has 26 members.
Open to First-year Students

The Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program invites students from all academic backgrounds to participate. The group explores the opportunities and challenges for scientific, technological, and social innovation, in areas from machine learning to musicology and from medicine to politics. Through dinners, workshops, and field trips, students will meet and talk with researchers and entrepreneurs from Penn, the region, and the world.

Program Location: 4th floors of Butcher and Speakman

Special Amenities: Program Lounge




Contact:
Mark Liberman, Faculty Director
[field_contact_email]

For more information and application instructions, see:
Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship


This program has 50 members.
Open to Upperclass Students

Residents are encouraged to assess their present leadership abilities, actively pursue personal leadership development and build meaningful relationships with other floor members through events, dinners, workshops, and social activities. Additionally, each year the Rodin Leadership Program will focus on a specific theme around leadership. The theme for 2018-2019 is "Leadership and Community Engagement".

Program Objectives:

  • Identify individual strengths and pursue leadership opportunities that will help to build upon and capitalize on those strengths.

  • Analyze and apply a variety of leadership theories to current projects and opportunities on campus.

  • Observe and learn from leaders in a variety of capacities.

  • Engage in social entrepreneurship and servant leadership.

  • Develop relationships and network.

  • Identify ways in which they contributed to building a floor and a House community.

Expectations and Participation: Members of the Rodin Leadership Program should expect to attend floor meetings, participate in the annual Rodin Showcase, and generally be active members of their floor and House communities.

Program Location: 19th floor

Special Amenities: Program lounge




Contact:
Daniel Gillion, Faculty Director, Rodin College House
[field_contact_email]

For more information and application instructions, see:
Leadership Residential Program


This program has 35 members.
Open to Upperclass Students

This Student-Designed Community is meant to help participants truly integrate social entrepreneurship into their everyday lives. The community will focus on: educating participants about what social entrepreneurship is, its benefits, and its applications; conversing with individuals and organizations both inside and outside of the Penn community that are actively integrating social entrepreneurship into their livelihoods; visiting community-based nonprofits, and ultimately applying all that we have heard, seen, and overall learned to initiate our own semesterly social entrepreneurship project in the Penn impact.

Program Location:





Contact:
Eric Cottrell, House Director
[field_contact_email]

For more information and application instructions, see:
Harrison College House