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students in the Ohio Hall learning center

Special Living Options

Penn State Behrend offers opportunities for students interested in living with others who share common interests and goals. Special Living Options (SLOs) are open to students who have an interest in one of the themes. Students interested in an SLO can contact the Housing and Food Service Office for more information about how to request an SLO.

The following SLOs are available at Behrend for 2019-2020:

 

Discover House

Discover House is a living-learning community designed by the Behrend Academic & Career Planning Center on behalf of the Division of Undergraduate Studies for students who want to make the most of their Penn State experience.  In Discover House, a student learns about the University opportunities and academic programs so he/she can make an informed choice of major and create an exciting academic plan.  Discover House students receive individualized attention from advisers and are offered special monthly programs and opportunities.  It is an ideal environment to begin university life and transition to the on-campus living environment. Discover House is in a traditional hall and is for DUS students.

Engineering House

By living in one of the Engineering Houses at Behrend, you'll have ready access to the tech you need and the engineering-focused social and academic programs you want. All School of Engineering students and first-year students interested in engineering are invited to live in an Engineering House:

Engineering Houses at Behrend
Niagara Hall for First-Year Students Almy Hall for Returning Students
Live with 200+ first-year engineering students Suite-style living
RAs are engineering majors RAs are engineering majors
Engineering lounge Dual-monitor study room
College-supported printer College-supported printer
Remote access to engineering software Remote access to engineering software
In-house programming sponsored by the School of Engineering Collaboration station with 65-inch screen and wireless content sharing

Global Boarders

This international-focused special living environment in Trippe Hall offers the opportunity to build valuable cultural competency skills. Global Boarders is an international-focused community of students seeking close interaction with peers who live or have studied abroad, hope to study abroad, or want a culturally diverse living-learning environment. The Black School of Business will offer academic enrichment and unique out-of-class opportunities for Global Boarders participants, both first year and returning students.

Heartbeat House

Heartbeat House offers support and amenities that speak to the unique demands of your nursing studies. You'll have opportunities for in-house advising and tutoring. You'll also enjoy easy access to nearby parking and the use of a kitchen, which help to accommodate early morning clinicals or late-night study sessions.

Honors House

The Honors Special Living Option is available to students who share similar academic goals and are enrolled in the Honors Program. Fostering the scholars' growth through activities with faculty, the Erie Honors House is run in conjunction with The Schreyer Honors College. Behrend students also have the opportunity to participate in the Hall Council and the Community Standards Board. A majority of Honors students, both first year and returning, are assigned to Ohio Hall.

Light House

Light House brings together service minded students who share a passion for making a difference. As you coordinate campaigns, connect with charitable organizations, engage in volunteer experiences, and explore career options, you'll also be helping to build a greater culture of service among all of our students.

Tree House

Tree House is an Interdisciplinary Learning-Living Community centered about the Sustainability Development Goals as detailed by the United Nations. Do you care about food insecurity? Want to eliminate poverty? Interested in Green Building? Want to fight gender and racial inequality? All of these issues are components of sustainability. Sustainability isn’t just about the environment, it’s about people and prosperity, equity and the economy, too. But if you like to hug trees, protect the natural world, and save the bees, all the better!

Tree House is a special living option located in Trippe Hall for students dedicated to a sustainable lifestyle. Students interested in sustainability can now live together, interacting and learning from one another. Be part of a group that engages our larger campus community in raising awareness and encouraging others to make changes each day to live as sustainably as possible.

Tree House residents:

  • Should enroll in the fall semester in one of the following courses:
    • CAS 222N Foundations: Civics and Community Engagement; or
    • SUST 150N The Science of Sustainable Development; or
    • SUST 200 Foundations of Leadership in Sustainability.
  • Can participate in a variety of sustainable initiatives both on campus and in the greater Erie region such as:

All efforts of the Tree House will be developed by the residents of Tree House under the guidance and assistance of their Resident Assistant and the campus Sustainability Coordinator, Dr. Sherri A. Mason.