College Houses

Your Home Away From Home

Blend the everyday joys of residential living (impromptu pizza parties, open-mic nights, pumpkin carving at Halloween) with meaningful moments of intellectual discovery (writing workshops, alumni guest lectures, all-night problem-solving sessions) and you’ll get F&M’s College Houses.

In these dynamic spaces, you’ll find a new way to work and play. You’ll not only live in your College House during your first year, but also take your Connections course in your College House and continue conversations begun in the classroom, lab or office throughout the halls. You also have the opportunity to join your College House government and chart your own course for social events. Each House receives a substantial annual budget that students may spend on social programs, academic and community activities, special projects and more. Some students have organized:

- Formal dances
- Theatrical productions
- Play-reading discussions
- Dinners with artists, authors and notable alumni
- Pizza parties, bagel breakfasts and field trips
- Student-run publications

“The sense of belonging you feel being a part of your house is amazing. It's a very close-knit community and you get to know so many different people and develop lifelong friendships, while being a part of something bigger.”

Established in 2005, the College House system shapes the intellectual, social and physical landscape of the Franklin & Marshall campus. “The sense of belonging you feel being a part of your house is amazing. It's a very close-knit community and you get to know so many different people and develop lifelong friendships, while being a part of something bigger," said Vyas Agarwal '23.

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The Connections Curriculum

You’ll be assigned to your College House based on the interests you express for your first-year Connections course. F&M Connections courses are a true representation of the liberal arts, blending several academic disciplines to dive into a wide range of unique topics. You will take this course in your College House alongside classmates who live just down the hall.

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The Houses

There are five College Houses: Bonchek, Brooks, Roschel, Ware and Weis. Each College House is assigned an administrative facilitator (dean) and a faculty mentor (don).

College House Deans have an office in the College House and are an integral part of the professional staff team charged with advising and supporting students and enforcing College policies.

House Dons establish the academic priorities for the College House and curate activities and events for their College House. The Dons create a stimulating intellectual environment in the Houses by bringing faculty in to teach, meeting with students, offering lectures and taking part in other residentially based academic, cultural, and social activities. Dons maintain offices in the House and meet regularly with students.

Bonchek College House