CHAS is all about our students

CHAS is all about our students.

College Houses and Academic Services (CHAS) was founded in 1998 to connect life in the College Houses to the intellectual and academic life of the University. Since then, Penn undergrads have been at the heart of everything we do: we’ve been creating community alongside them, we’ve been learning from them, and we’ve been using those experiences to improve the ways we support Penn undergraduates.

Lately, we’ve also been thinking a lot about one question: What exactly is it that we want to provide our students as  members of a College House community? Making our goals crystal clear will help us succeed in our mission: to help the  students in our care make the most of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that is being an undergraduate at Penn.

Here’s our answer. These are the things that we want to say to our Housemates to help them get the most out of their time living in one of our College Houses.   '

"Find You."

College is the time for young adults to discover who they are, gain a sense of independence, and understand themselves. We want CHAS to be a place where we accept our students, and others, for who they are and who they are becoming. 

"Create your community."

We’re here to help students develop their sense of community and understand their role in shaping it. Students get to be part of their own College House community, the Penn and Philly communities, and the community beyond Penn’s campus.

"Grow & lead."

We’ll provide opportunities for Penn undergraduates to develop as thinkers and leaders, and understand the privileges and the responsibilities of being part of the community.

"Get involved and connected."

We want students to attend fun, exciting events and get to discover new experiences at Penn and in the city of Philadelphia. We also want them to make meaningful connections through friendships, connection with Penn faculty and staff, and develop lifelong relationships.

"Support and care: we got you."

When students need it, we want them to feel free to ask for help and guidance from the CHAS team in their House—their House Director, House Coordinator, and House Faculty will be ready to assist.