Gregory College House

House Guide 2012-2013

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FROM FACULTY MASTER HEATHER LOVE 1

FROM HOUSE DEAN CHRIS DONOVAN 2

WEBSITE GUIDE 3

REGULAR WEEKLY EVENTS 4

TRADITIONAL EVENTS 5

RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS 6

ACADEMIC PROGRAMMING 7

GREGORY GREETS 7

THE HOUSE OFFICE 8

GREGORY PERKS 8

GREGORY PLACES 9

HOUSE RULES 10

SENIOR STAFF 11

GRADUATE ASSOCIATES 13

RESIDENTIAL ADVISORS 16

HOUSE MANAGERS 18

HOUSE COUNCIL 21

ITA 21

MOVE-IN 22

FAQ 23

WELCOME FROM FACULTY

MASTER HEATHER LOVE

Greetings Incoming and Returning Gregory Residents!

Welcome to a new academic year at Gregory College House. As you will soon find out for yourselves, Gregory is one

of the best places to live at Penn. The House is known for its welcoming atmosphere, lively social activities and

academic programs, experienced and friendly staff, and fantastic residents.

Gregory consistently has one of the highest rates of student satisfaction in the Housing System and one of the

highest return rates for students. I moved into Gregory as a Faculty Fellow in 2003, when I first arrived at Penn as

an assistant professor. I got a very warm welcome from our former House Master Robert Lucid and from House

Dean Chris Donovan, and from all the Gregory staff and students. Whether you are just arriving or are returning, Dr.

Donovan and I along with the rest of the House faculty and staff want to make sure that you feel just as welcome as

I did.

I want to mention a few of the things that I think make Gregory special. We have long hosted Penn’s residential

language programs, which are some of the most successful academic programs at the University. We are also

thrilled about the Film Culture Program, which has recently partnered with Cinema Studies to offer a fun and

rigorous course of study (which is also open to all residents). The House sponsors a number of social activities from

weekly brunches to Bring Your Own Mug night to karaoke.

I hope to get to know many of you personally this year. You will see me at films, study breaks, and Dinners with

Gregory (when we invite in Penn faculty for informal dinners and conversation). I will also host events in the Faculty

Master residence (108 Van Pelt), which I share with my partner Mara Mills and our two children, Emaline and Juliet

Kelso. Dr. Mills teaches media studies, disability studies, and the history of communications technology at NYU and

is back and forth to New York. Ema is going to be a senior at the Lawrenceville School in New Jersey. Juliet will be a

junior at Friends Select School downtown. We also live with our Boston Terrier, Lily, whom you will no doubt meet

before too long.

Please feel free to drop by the Faculty Master residence (108 Van Pelt) to say hi anytime. I am looking forward to a

great year with you all.

Heather Love

Faculty Master

WELCOME FROM HOUSE DEAN

CHRIS DONOVAN

If you’re reading this, I’m going to go out on limb and assume you are new to the House—for the most part, our

returners have had quite enough of me by this point, thank you very much. That fact speaks to Gregory’s appeal,

though; you’re going to meet the people running the show… and I don’t just mean our wonderful Faculty, but also

the undergraduate and graduate students who really make this place hum. To that end, perhaps the best place to

start perusing this guidebook is to look over the staff profiles; those people are among your new neighbors, and

soon you’ll be hearing from them often. (As an exercise, take a look at your email inbox. Imagine an extra

thousand emails. A week. On the plus side, many will have the phrase “Free Food” couched somewhere inside,

often at the very end).

Of course, those undergrads playing such a key part in the life of the House—RAs knocking on your door,

Managers serving up hot chocolate, planning elaborate film series, inviting faculty guests to dinner, occasionally

dressing like superheroes—were once new here too. And that’s the point of the place, and of Penn’s College

House system in general: you are encouraged to become a contributor to your new home from the moment you get

here. You may not be able to post emails to the House—though you can post to the House forum on our

website—but you will have ample opportunity to discuss your ideas and enthusiasms with us; whether in our

apartments, at study breaks, or rafting over rapids. I’m sure some of you were eager to be in Gregory—whether

for the film and languages programs, the private bedrooms or the small community—and some of you had never

heard of us, or heard only that no one has heard of us. The reason so many residents choose to remain here,

regardless of which category they were in originally and despite the drabness of our brick-like buildings, is because

they read those emails, came to those events, joined our programs, hung out in the piano lounge, accepted invites

to visit our faculty, and shared what they wanted to see and do in the House. I’ve lived pretty much everywhere

you can live at Penn—my time here, in one capacity or another, dates back to sometime around Plymouth Rock—

and I can say for sure that one’s enjoyment of their House hinges on their active involvement in it. At Gregory, that

works better than almost anywhere, thanks entirely to the astounding students we have had over the years. I can

tell you some stories. But not in this forum.

So read on and find out about your home. And get here soon, the halls are too quiet!

See you in late August,

Chris Donovan

House Dean

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Under Services & Operations: Check

out what is available in the DVD Library

Under Residential Programs: Learn more

about Modern Languages and Film Culture programs

WEBSITE GUIDE

REGULAR EVENTS

Gregory Week webpage: http://gregory.house.upenn.edu/Gregory_Week

{ BRING YOUR OWN MUG } BYOM (say it, don’t spell it) is a Gregory institution. Every Tuesday at 10:30 PM in the Van

Pelt 3rd

floor kitchen, your BYOM manager serves up hot chocolate, cider, and some other goodies (including ice cream during

heat waves). Don’t have your own mug to bring? You can also purchase this year’s bargain-priced edition of the official

Gregory mug. BYOM is a snazzy way to meet and mingle with other Gregorians throughout the House and from all four years

(not to mention staff). Same time, same place, every week. BYOM is not just an acronym; it’s also a rule of thumb. Gregory is

a green-friendly place. Remember to bring your own mug, plates, and utensils to any/all Gregory events!

{ STUDY BREAKS } Since the dawn of time, Gregory has hosted study breaks Wednesday at 10:30 PM in the Van Pelt Piano

Lounge. The crowds are large, the tone is informal, and the food, well, sinful (we do try to have a few healthy alternatives

here and there). Our advice? Don’t sit around waiting for the email reminder; you know where and when to go, so be ready to

beat out the hungry masses for the best grub. And once you’ve stocked up, have a seat and chat awhile; it’s a STUDY

BREAK, after all. Sometimes there are bonuses: trivia questions, surprise performances, and more. Breaks are run by

Gregorians in single and doubles – on the House’s dime, of course. Students can be as creative as they wish, or just try to get

the most bang for the buck. You can sign up for a particular date at the beginning of the semester.

{ BRUNCHES } The lazy weekend equivalent of the Study Break, Brunches take place on Sundays in the Class of 1925

Greenhouse. Check your email because the time varies a bit, from late morning to early afternoon. Don’t worry about being

bleary-eyed or wearing your shirt inside out; borderline catonia is par for the course. In addition to standbys like bagels,

cereal, donuts, coffee, etc, brunches usually feature pancakes, waffles, and other goodies cooked up by Gregory residents.

Traditionally, quad rooms are assigned to a brunch or two during the course of the year; you can volunteer for a particular

date early in the semester. We’ll give you the cash, you bring the elbow grease (well, no literally) and ideas!

{ DINNER WITH GREGORY } DWG is another informal House even flush with free food, but this one is has a rewarding

twist – a visiting Penn faculty member or prominent administrator, joining us for dinnertime conversation in the Class of

1925 Greenhouse. You can learn about any number of academic fields, political, cultural, or social issues, state-of-the-art

technology, or exotic undertakings, all over hoagies, Chinese, Indian, or other generous dinner portions from local

restaurants. Have an idea for an ideal guest? Contact the DwG Managers with ideas. DWG takes place approximately twice a

month; don’t miss this opportunity to get to know one of Penn’s renowned professors outside of the classroom.

{ I <3 TV } Don’t want to be cooped up in your room watching the boob tube (or your computer screen) by yourself? Get

together with your housemates to catch marathons of your favorite shows – current or vintage – in the Van Pelt Film Lounge,

often with home-cooked meals.

{ WEEKEND MOVIE MARATHONS } Watch out for impromptu Movie marathons (James Bond? Indiana Jones? Harry Potter?

LOTR? Disney?), often on Friday or Saturday nights, and sometimes … ALL NIGHT.

{ GREGORY GOURMAND } Tired of eating at the same old campus haunts? Want to break out of the Penn confines and

explore Philadelphia? The Gregory Gourmand ventures out into this great city to sample its wide array of delectable cuisine.

They aren’t afraid to try anything or any place, so be prepared to be adventurous. Check out our webpage:

http://gregory.house.upenn.edu/gregory_gourmand

TRADITIONAL EVENTS

Gregory Year webpage: http://gregory.house.upenn.edu/Gregory_Year

{ HOUSE BARBEQUES }

Every year begins and ends with a grand barbecue on the

Beach, complete with volleyball, music and a throng of

hungry Gregorians.

{ KARAOKE }

Several times a year, Gregorians try out their pipes

during karaoke nights; the House has its own elaborate

karaoke system. The first follows our New Student

Orientation (NSO) barbecue, and is one of the can’t-miss

events of the year; how better to get to know your

housemates than to see them center stage?

{ BONFIRES }

For the closet pyromaniac or residents who simply love to

gather around the bonfire for some good conversation,

some study-break fun, or yummy s’mores – this one’s for

you.

{ OPEN MIC NIGHT }

Are you a painfully shy poet? Flamboyant performance

artist? Melodically challenged singer? Or just want to

show off your [not so] secret talents? Then Open Mic

Night is for you!

{ PROGRESSIVE DINNER }

Sometime in Fall semester, each floor in Van Pelt offers

up one course of a grand dinner for the House. If you’re

a Van Peltian, please be sure to help out your GAs and

RAs; they’re all great people, but not all of them can

cook!!!

{ THANKSGIVING }

In town for Thanksgiving break? No worries. The House

offers up its own grand feast in the Greenhouse, full of

good cheer and good food.

{ LUCID DINNER }

Named for Robert Lucid, the first Faculty Master of

Gregory, the Lucid Dinner is a performing arts showcase

for our residents and one of the fancier meals of the year.

Contact our Events Managers to sign up for a slot in the

lineup.

{ OSCAR PARTY }

Every year the House puts on an Oscar bash, with fancy

desserts, plenty of adoration/heckling, and our annual

pick-the-winners contest (with DVDs and other prizes).

{ COLLEGE HOUSES STUDENT FILM FESTIVAL }

Penn’s aspiring filmmakers view their work on the big

screen at neighborhood theatre and compete for

impressive prizes and future festival bookings as the

Film Festival closes out the Spring Semester. Started at

Gregory and now run in collaboration with other college

houses, the Student Film Festival provides plenty of

incentive for future Scorseses to hone their craft.

{ INTERNATIONAL DINNER }

Every spring, the Modern Languages Program puts on an

elaborate dinner, with dishes from all across the globe,

including a few not covered by our language houses. The

dinner is one of the highlights of the semester, usually

drawing a huge crowd… and often a fire alarm or two,

as fledgling cooks learn the ropes (it’s worth it).

{ SHAKESPEARE ON “THE BEACH” }

What better way to celebrate the end of classes than by

performing epic scenes from one of the greatest

playwrights of all time? This fun-filled event is for

thespians and amateurs alike.

{ FINALS STUDY BREAKS }

Each semester ends with breaks almost every night

during reading days and finals, to get you through that

rough patch of cramming. Some consist of mounds and

mounds of pizza; others have fancy themes. At one

break at the close of second semester, we hand out the

JOANNE LUCID AWARD, bestowed upon a senior who

contributed greatly to House community over their time

in Gregory, as well as awards for our freshmen,

sophomores and juniors of the Year.

RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS

Gregory's residential programs aren't just for show; they're a way of life. Each week the Modern Languages Program (MLP)

and Film Culture Program (FCP) churn out the activities-- 20 or so, at conservative estimate. And you're invited; whether you

originally applied to the program or not, and whichever building you're in, you're very welcome to attend, either religiously

or once in a blue moon. The programs can play a substantial part in your academic and cultural development-- and they can

also fill your belly and provide a solid night's entertainment. See bios of our graduate Program Directors, Managers, and the

rest of the Gregory staff later in this guide.

{ The Modern Languages Program }

Worried about the oral exams in your language classes? Interested in studying abroad? International and homesick? MLP

has 5 language houses--Casa Hispanica, Chinese House (or 中文园地 ), Deutsches Haus, Arabic House and Maison

Francaise... Each offers weekly dinners (between one to four times a week, usually at the Dining hall or nearby eateries), as

well as a “coffee hour” one night a week to shoot the breeze with your fellow residents in a foreign tongue. There are also

biweekly or weekly film series, as well as occasional trips to operas and orchestras, movie theatres, campus lectures,

restaurants, museum exhibits and other Philadelphia resources relevant to their language and cultures. Schedules will be

announced early in the semester and posted on the Gregory website.

All the languages houses, with the exception of Chinese, have a credit option. Interested students looking to fully immerse

themselves in the language can sign up for a half-credit a semester; the grade is based on attendance and participation.

You'll get more details on the credit option at the introductory language house meetings, which usually take place the first

week of classes (don't worry about registering for MLP credit before then). Whether you're skilled in a language or just

starting out, MLP is a useful and engaging way to develop or maintain fluency.

Webpage: http://gregory.house.upenn.edu/modern_language_program

{ The Film Culture Program }

The Film Culture Program is devoted to movie-lovers of all sorts; accordingly, the program hosts several semesterly film

series (usually three or four screenings a week), from all sorts of genres, time periods, and national origins. Many screenings

are followed by discussions moderated by the Program Director, Dean or other staff. Venture out into the city on a regular

basis to see new releases--and film festival entries-- and discuss their merits (or lack thereof) over snacks, coffee, or ice

cream. Like MLP, the FCP has an academic credit option; students can receive a grade for participating in discussions, giving a

short presentation and submitting an end-of-semester written response. And if you're a filmMAKER as well as a film

aficionado, make your own masterpieces and enter them into Penn's student film festival, started right here in Gregory and

now a major campus wide event.

All of Gregory's residential programs are supervised by graduate students, assisted by undergraduate managers, and

supported by Penn faculty and administrators.

Webpage: http://gregory.house.upenn.edu/film_culture

ACADEMIC PROGRAMMING

Gregory features a number of academic-themed events throughout the year, and the House Office can help guide you through

Penn’s many academic-support services. These are just some of the academic resources in the House:

House Dean

Chris is an academic advisor in the College of Arts and Sciences and a Lecturer in English and Cinema Studies. You can make

an appointment to meet with him or just pop in when you find him in the office—which is often. With some advanced notice,

he is happy to give feedback on papers and written assignments.

Language Practice

We discussed MLP events on the previous page; check the individual language house homepages for schedules. There’s no

better way to improve your language skills than through practice—and no better way to practice than while having fun over

dinner. If you’re taking Chinese, French, German, Arabic or Spanish classes, you should definitely think about joining these

conversations!

Graduate School Information

Throughout the year, our GAs will give talks about their experiences preparing for, applying to, and succeeding in graduate

school. So whether you are interested in a career in classics or medical school, get some firsthand knowledge!

GREGORY GREETS

One of the House’s best attributes is its small size; if you don’t get to know any of the staff, you must be trying hard to avoid

us! That said, we want to make even easier to get to know our faculty, graduate students, and other resident celebrities. To

that end, all Gregorians new to Penn (and thus freshmen, exchange students and transfer students) will receive an invite

early in the semester for a little get-together in the apartment of one of our senior staff (Master, Dean or Fellows). These

informal welcome sessions are with just a few other new students, select staff, and some of our veteran House Council

members. Gregory Greets are an ideal opportunity to make some very useful contacts among your neighbors, so please be

sure to come—or if you can’t make it, let us know and we’ll find a spot for you on one of the other dates.

HOUSE OFFICE

You can often find the House Dean and the House Coordinator in 127 Van Pelt Manor; the Dean’s office hours are posted on

the website and throughout the buildings. You can stop by for questions about academic resources (or advising appointments)

or about the House, of course. You can also pick up show tickets, rent DVDs, send faxes, or make a small number of copies.

Or you can just pop in and say hello.

GREGORY PERKS

THE DVD LIBRARY RENTAL RULES

The House Office (127 Van Pelt) has a huge library of movies

for our residents to borrow, free of charge, including

blockbusters, classics, international cinema and TV series

boxed sets. The complete list, often updated, can be found

on the website.

Residents are allowed to borrow 2 DVDs at a time and are

expected to return them within 2 weeks. Should students

keep the movies for more than 2 weeks, the House

Coordinator will send out massive amounts of emails

reminding them that other residents would probably like to

watch the movie as well. Before borrowing your first DVD, all

residents will also have to sign a CONTRACT acknowledging

the RULES & BILLING STIPULATIONS for unreturned DVDs.

THE GUEST SUITE GUEST SUITE RULES

Residents can reserve the Guest Suite on the second floor of

Van Pelt for family members for $25/night. The air-

conditioned suite has a living room, kitchen area and two

bedrooms, one with a queen bed and one with two twins. The

suite is run by the House’s Hospitality Manager and bookings

are made from the website. Make reservations via our

webpage http://gregory.house.upenn.edu/guest_suite

Guests may only be family members and immediate

relatives of Gregory residents (note: Fraternity “brothers”

or sorority “sisters” are NOT family!!!) Maximum stay is 7

days. Check-in is at 3 PM; Check-out is at noon. Room

payments must be received 2 days after last evening of

stay. Residents are responsible for leaving the room tidy

and clean, including: cleaning sheets and towels; making

beds and putting towels neatly where they belong; cleaning,

drying, and putting away kitchen utensils; and removing all

trash. The key must be returned promptly to the Gregory

House front desk at check-out.

KITCHEN SUPPLIES VIDEO GAME CONSOLES

Looking to cook that special meal? Or just heat up something

while studying? Then visit the House Office for cooking

supplies. We have pots and pans, cups and utensils, and

various other kitchen related items. Just remember to sign

them in and out and keep them clean for your fellow

residents.

Gregory has its own X-Box 360 and Nintendo Wii consoles

and games, available at the information center in Van Pelt.

Note that the 360 and Wii are ONLY for use in the VP Piano

Lounge.

GREGORY PLACES

THE BEACH

The grassy area (complete with grassy knoll) between the

two buildings is known as the Beach. No, there’s no sand or

water, but there are plenty of sunbathers when the weather

is hot, and volleyball, beach chairs, Frisbees and other

implements of idle pursuit can be borrowed from the Info

Center.

PIANO LOUNGE

The piano lounge on the first floor of Van Pelt Manor is

Gregory’s living room, spacious and air-conditioned, with

comfortable couches, tables, a grand piano, a 62” inch TV,

and student mailboxes. Many of the House’s major events,

from the first welcome of the freshmen to the senior award

presentation at the end of the year take place here: study

breaks, Oscar and Superbowl parties, TV watching groups,

the Lucid Dinner, karaoke. When not reserved for events,

the lounge is open for studying, piano playing, video games

and TV, what have you.

THE KITCHEN

The air-conditioned Kitchen on the third floor of Van Pelt is

used for BYOM and floor events and often used for studying

or just hanging out. Please label anything you leave in the

refrigerator and don’t take anything that isn’t yours!

SEMINAR ROOM

The air-conditioned Seminar Room on the first floor of Van

Pelt Manor, complete with a large table, plenty of chairs and

a blackboard, is one of the best places in the House to study

(and indeed is reserved for quiet studying when not in use

for classes or meetings). There is often free coffee

available!

FILM LOUNGE

The Film Lounge on the 4th Floor of Van Pelt is home to the

Film Culture Program and often used for House Events. The

Lounge has blu-ray projection, a kitchen, comfortable bean

bags and couches, and three smaller lounge and study

rooms.

GREENHOUSE

The Greenhouse in Class of 1925 is the hub of Modern

Languages Program activities and a frequent locale for

House events. This air-conditioned lounge has a full kitchen

and plenty of seating for language coffee hours, brunches,

and Dinner with Gregory, and boasts a custom Isaiah Zagar

mural!

THE DARKROOM CAFÉ

The Darkroom Café is situated in the Class of 1925

basement, right next to the library. Swing by for La

Colombe coffee, Le Bus baked goods, and other treats!

MLP LOUNGE

The MLP lounge in the Class of 1925 basement features a

projector, multistandard DVD, sound system, and plenty of

comfortable seating. The room is reserved for MLP films,

House events, and classes.

THE BASEMENTS

The VP basement has foosball, air hockey, pool and ping

pong tables (equipment available from the Info Center), as

well as a small music practice room, a big screen TV and

study spaces. The C’25 basement is air-conditioned and

features a pool table, two computer labs, several public and

private study rooms, the House library, a public TV and a

small music practice room.

LIBRARY

The old fashioned kind…. Books. The snug and cozy

Gregory library, in the C’25 basement next to the Darkroom

Cafe, has assorted novels, poems, textbooks, graphic novels,

maps and other sundry publications for browsing or

borrowing. Feel free to donate your old books!

COMPUTER LABS

There are two computer labs in Gregory College House,

located on the first floor of Van Pelt Manor and the

basement of Class of 1925. There is an additional group

workspace with computers in the VP basement. Open 24

hours a day, labs feature laser printing and academic and

multimedia software (including Adobe Acrobat,

Dreamweaver, and Photoshop, Maple, Dr. Java, Microsoft

Office, JNP, and others). The Van Pelt lab also features a

Mac and a scanner. The Class of 1925 lab features two

group study rooms with whiteboards and widescreen

monitors.

HOUSE RULES

LAUNDRY ROOM ETIQUETTE

There are scenic (not really) laundry rooms on the first floor of

each building. Some courtesy is called for: Please allow others

at least 10 minutes to collect their belongings from washers

and dryers before carefully removing their items and placing

them on the table. Please do not use more than two machines

at a time unless you are the only person using the laundry

room. If a washer or dryer does not work, tape a note to it and

notify the info center (and fill out the form if you lost money).

Do not leave your clothes unattended for long. Clothes left on

table will be donated to charity or discarded.

QUIET HOURS

During Quiet Hours, residents and guests should not be playing

loud music or otherwise making noise audible outside

individual bedrooms. Piano use is also prohibited during Quiet

Hours, and the music practice rooms are off limits after 11 pm.

During reading days and finals, these policies are in effect 24-

7. Quiet Hours during the year are:

Sunday through Thursday: Midnight to 9 AM

Friday and Saturday: 1 AM to 10 AM

ALCOHOL

Yes, Penn is “the social ivy.” But that doesn't mean that we

throw Pennsylvania law out window. Please review Penn’s

alcohol policy at on Penn’s website. Please be aware that

residential staff are entrusted with enforcing the policy—but

they are not out to get you. Our priority is maintaining a safe

community for all our residents, so please behave with

maturity, be respectful of the rights of your housemates, and

be mindful of your own well-being.

SMOKING

Smoking is forbidden in Gregory, as it is in all college houses.

The designated smoking area for the House is the covered

concrete structure with benches near Class of 1925 and St.

Mary’s Church. Class of 1925 smokers must remain on the

other side of Irving Street; Van Peltian smokers outside the far

end of the bicycle rack. Please note there is a $50 fine for

violating this policy.

SPRINKLERS

For increased safety, both buildings are equipped with

sprinklers, visible in every room. While we appreciate the

added security, be careful not to strike or hang anything from

the sprinkler heads; they are fragile and easily broken, and

the amount of water is considerable and impacts numerous

rooms and numerous floors. Think monsoon (and yes, we

speak from experience).

SPRINKLERS

For increased safety, both buildings are equipped with

sprinklers, visible in every room. While we appreciate the

added security, be careful not to strike or hang anything from

the sprinkler heads; they are fragile and easily broken, and

the amount of water is considerable and impacts numerous

rooms and numerous floors. Think monsoon (and yes, we

speak from experience).

DUMBWAITER

Gregory does not have elevators (it helps keep off the

freshman 15!), but there are dumbwaiters in each building to

help carry items upstairs.

Guidelines

1. If others are waiting to use the dumbwaiter (such as

during move-in), please do your best to work

quickly (if safely).

2. Remember to close both the inner and outer doors

of the dumbwaiter before sending it to your desired

floor. If the inner door is left open, the dumbwaiter

may get stuck.

3. When finished using the dumbwaiter, be sure to

close both doors so that others can summon it to

their floor.

4. Do not try to ride the dumbwaiter. Seriously. You

will almost certainly get stuck, and the process of

extraction will be very lengthy and very, very

expensive.

5. If the dumbwaiter is not working, report the

situation to the info desk as soon as possible.

QUAD ROOM SWAP

Bedrooms in Gregory quads are of differing sizes, though all

are generous by the standards of Penn Housing. In accordance

with the Residential Occupancy Agreement, at semester break

(by the end of the first week of class, second semester), the

two students in larger rooms switch with the two students in

smaller rooms, who flip a coin to see who gets the end (biggest)

room. Although various arrangements are often made among

residents to avoid moving, the final decision rests entirely

with the “smallees.” Sometimes this process can stir up ill will,

so it is better to talk this through early in the semester if not

before; don’t hesitate to ask your GA for help. See room

diagrams at http://gregory.house.upenn.edu/housing.aspx

SENIOR STAFF

Heather Love, Faculty Master

Heather is Associate Professor in the English Department at Penn, where she has

taught since 2003. She has lived in the College House system for the past six

years as a Faculty Fellow in both Gregory and Ware. Professor Love received her

A.B. from Harvard University in Literature and her Ph.D. from the University of

Virginia in English. Her areas of interest include gender studies and queer theory,

the literature and culture of modernity, affect studies, film and visual culture,

psychoanalysis, race and ethnicity, disability studies, and critical theory. She is

the author of Feeling Backward: Loss and the Politics of Queer History (2007) and

is currently writing a book about the source materials for Erving Goffman's 1963

sociological work, Stigma: On the Management of Spoiled Identity ("The Stigma

Archive"). She lives with her partner, Dr. Mara Mills (Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in

the History and Sociology of Science and Media Studies at Penn), their two

children, Emaline and Juliet Kelso, and their Boston Terrier, Lily.

Mara Mills, Associate Master

Mara holds a Ph.D. in History of Science and a Master's degree in Biology from

Harvard University, as well as a Master's in Education and B.A. degrees in Biology

and Literature from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She is a 2008-2010

Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania and an Assistant

Professor of English at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Her research

interests include sound studies; disability studies; science and literature; and the

history and politics of telecommunications, biotechnology, and digital media. She

has been an Associate Faculty Fellow at Gregory and Ware for the last four years.

Christopher Donovan, House Dean

Gregory’s dean since 1999, Dr. Donovan splits time between the house office in

127 Van Pelt and his movie-filled apartment on the fourth floor. A native

Philadelphian, he received a BA in English from Penn in 1992 and a PhD in

Contemporary American Lit from NYU in 1998. He frequently teaches courses in

Film and the Novel, often within the House. His book “Postmodern

Counternarratives: Irony and Audience in the Novels of Paul Auster, Don DeLillo,

Charles Johnson and Tim O'Brien”; was published by Routledge in 2004. In

addition to his academic expertise, Chris is a veteran of many years in Penn's

housing system, and he also worked for a couple of years at Vogue magazine in

Manhattan, though he displays no residual trace of fashion sense. Chris is always

willing to chat (argue) about films, whether the foreign classics and indie gems

shown by MLP and FCP or the most recent CGI-filled summer blockbusters. He's

also willing to take a glance at your papers, and as an academic advisor for the

College of Arts and Sciences, he's a good sounding board about schedule planning,

career goals, etc.

Lance Wahlert, House Fellow

Lance is Faculty Fellow in the Department of Medical Ethics & Health Policy in the

Perelman School of Medicine at Penn, and Assistant Professor of Medical

Humanities and Assistant Professor of English at Indiana University Purdue

University Indianapolis (IUPUI). He holds a Ph.D. in English from Penn, as well as

graduate degrees in the history of medicine and literary studies from the Johns

Hopkins University and the Imperial College of Medicine (London). Lance also

serves as Director of the international Project on Bioethics, Sexuality, and Gender

Identity, which has demarcated a subfield within bioethics that focuses on the

intersection of LGBTQ healthcare and medical ethics

(http://www.queerbioethics.org/). His scholarly interests include queer theory,

history of medicine, bioethics, cinema studies, poetics, and digital media. As a

Ph.D. student at Penn, Lance was a Graduate Fellow at Gregory College House for

four years, helping to establish its accredited Film Culture Program. So, he is

thrilled to be back at Gregory (his Penn home) as a Faculty Fellow!

Philippe Met, House Fellow

Philippe is Editor-in-Chief of French Forum, a member of the editorial or advisory

board of several journals, and the author of over 60 refereed articles and book

chapters on a wide range of topics pertaining to literature (including graphic

novels) and film. His single-authored books include: Formules de la poésie. Études

sur Ponge, Leiris, Char et Du Bouchet (PUF, 1999) and La Lettre tue. Spectre(s) de

l’écrit fantastique (P. U. du Septentrion, 2009). He contributed to the prestigious

Pléiade edition of Francis Ponge's Collected Works, and edited André du Bouchet

et ses Autres (Ed. Les Lettres Modernes, 2003) as well as a volume of Nu(e) on

French poet Yves Charnet (2009). With Jean-Michel Rabaté, he co-edited a special

issue of L’Esprit créateur on Mallarmé (2000), and with Jean-Louis Leutrat and

Suzanne Lindrat-Guigues he worked on the critical edition of Frédéric de

Towarnicki’s script for a never-completed film by Alain Resnais, Les Aventures de

Harry Dickson (Capricci, 2007). He is currently completing a book manuscript on

the esthetic and phenomenology of poetic notebooks (Fausses Notes, to be

published by Rodopi), and researching two new projects: one on the figure of the

child and representations of childhood in horror films; the other on ghost cinema

(a study of uncompleted and inherently uncompletable film projects). He is

regularly invited to lecture at various academic or research institutions in the US,

Europe, Australia and Asia.

Winnie Tang, House Coordinator

Winnie has a B.A. in East Asian Studies (Chinese/History/Philosophy) from Bryn

Mawr College and an M.S.Ed. in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

(TESOL) from Penn GSE. After grad school, she moved to Hong Kong as a Fulbright

English Teaching Assistant. In the last few years, Winnie has taught English to

university students in Hong Kong and traveled all over the western hemisphere

(Australia, Asia, and South East Asia). She returned to Philly (& Penn) in 2012, with

her fondness for Oxford Commas and foodie adventures satiated. When not at

work, Winnie enjoys baking, blogging, and TV-watching (Community, Parks & Rec,

Downton Abbey, Mad Men, Portlandia, and Law & Order: SVU re-runs, to name a

few). She looks forward to meeting the new staff/students and helping everyone

with all things Gregory related!

GRADUATE ASSOCIATES

Daira Nocera, VP 1

st Floor GA

Daira was born and raised in Tuscany were she developed an early interest in

archaeology. After completing her BA in Classics at the University of Pisa, Daira

moved to Sydney, Australia, to teach Italian and enjoy the beaches (not the

sharks!). After three years she went back to Italy and decided that archaeology

was still her most compelling interest and completed a graduated program in

Classical Archaeology at the University of Genova. She then lived for six years in

Rome digging in some major archaeological areas and teaching Roman History to

American undergraduates in a study abroad program. The experience with the

students and with American archaeological projects led her to enroll at UPenn

where she is a PhD student in Art and Archaeology of the Mediterranean World

with a focus on architecture. Apart from ancient Rome, Daira has a passion for

modern jazz dance, movies, cooking, American TV series, and intercultural sense

of humor.

Ekin Pinar, Film Culture Program &

VP 2nd

Floor GA

Ekin is from Ankara, Turkey and has been living in the States for the past five

years. While holding a bachelor degree in architecture, she decided to attend

graduate school because of her enthusiasm to teach. At the moment, she is a PhD

student at the History of Art department with a focus on modern and

contemporary art, film and gender studies. From the early childhood onwards she

has grown an immense interest in a wide range of art forms and gained some

hands-on experience by publishing her poetry and essays in several magazines

and fanzines, singing in a hardcore punk band, painting, and organizing film

screenings. Nowadays, she fills the little free time she can find with live shows,

films, yoga, and books.

Andrew Stokes, VP 4th Floor GA

Andrew Stokes is a PhD student in Demography and Sociology at Penn and

originally from Gettysburg, PA. He received his undergraduate degree from Bates

College, in Lewiston, ME and was subsequently a post-bachelor fellow at the

Harvard Initiative for Global Health, in Cambridge, MA and later at the Institute

for Health Metrics and Evaluation, in Seattle, WA. In his fourth year of the PhD, he

is studying the effects of risk factors, such as smoking and obesity, on trends in

population health and is also interested in the social factors underlying these

trends. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, music, gardening at the Schuylkill

River Park Community Garden, camping on the beach and exploring new rail-to-

trail paths throughout the region.

Skylar Bihl, VP 3

rd Floor GA

Skylar, originally from Washington State, received her BA in Foreign

Language/International Affairs at the University of Puget Sound. She speaks

German and has spent two years living in Germany making wonderful friends and

going on many international adventures. While attending Puget Sound, Skylar

discovered the field of student development in higher education and is excited to

be pursuing an MS.Ed at Penn. Skylar is passionate about the intersection of

multiple identities and challenging unjust systems. She also loves skiing, playing

softball and volleyball, traveling, card games, expanding her growing cooking

repertoire, and curling up with a book and a hot cup of tea. In the last year,

Skylar has enjoyed getting a taste of hot, buttery southern culture with her

fiancée in Atlanta, GA and looks forward to experiencing the northeast while at

Penn.

Katie Holmquist, Deutsches Haus &

C’25 3rd Floor GA

Katie Holmquist likes to think of herself as German, having grown up in a small

town near Frankfurt, Germany. After moving to the U.S. she has made sure to hang

on to her language skills; she pursued dual interests in German and Design at the

University of California, Davis, attaining both a Bachelor of Science in Landscape

Architecture and Bachelor of Art in German Literature & Language in 2005. After

working in San Francisco as a landscape designer for several years, she has

returned to school for a masters degree in city planning at U Penn. She has been

enjoying living on the east coast for the first time, taking advantage of the Philly

and New York museums, great architecture and music.

Sarah Blitzer, Casa Hispanica &

C’25 4th Floor GA

Sarah, a native of northern New Jersey, is a first year architecture student at Penn

Design. She left New Jersey for the College of William & Mary where she earned a

B.A. in Art History and Hispanic Studies. As an undergraduate, Sarah studied in

Madrid where she developed a love of churros with chocolate and exploring cities on

her own. After graduating from William & Mary, Sarah lived in Washington, DC

where she worked as a paralegal and later at the Inter-American Development

Bank. She also worked as a docent at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery

(Have you been? The new roof that encloses the courtyard weighs 900 tons and does

not rely on the pre-existing building for support). In her spare time, Sarah likes to

bake, go on runs, take pictures or just relax with a cup of tea. She's also prone to

eating honey straight from the jar.

Alex S., Maison Francaise &

C’25 2nd Floor GA

Born in Switzerland, raised in France in a Persian family, and having lived in the

melting pot of Dubai, Alex enjoys travelling and likes to think of himself as a world

citizen. Before enrolling at Wharton to pursue an MBA, Alex has had varied

professional experiences ranging from the non-profit sector with the United Nations

in Geneva, to the investment banking world with BNP Paribas Arbitrage in Paris.

Most recently, Alex was working as a strategy consultant with Bain & Co in the

Middle East. He would be happy to share insights and tips with students considering

careers in these fields or regions. Alex loves to play basketball and table tennis and

is eager to take part in games. In addition to (obviously) French and English, he is

fluent in Persian and speaks conversational German.

Chunchun Tang, Chinese House &

C’25 1st Floor GA

A native of Shenyang, China, Chunchun Tang is an IEDP (International Educational

Development Program) candidate looking forward to being an educator in her home

country. Having studied and worked in Michigan for the past five years, she enjoys

the independent lifestyle while constantly missing her family, friends and the FOOD

at home. During her undergraduate years, the English Literature major had a fair

share of "quality time" with Shakespeare. She also loved getting adrenaline highs

when delivering speeches on stage. In addition to work, Chunchun is an absolute

movie junkie; her favorites include Gone with the Wind, Farewell My Concubine,

American Gangster, and Let the Bullets Fly. She also likes to help her friends pick up

a few Chinese words and cultural tips.

Omar Al-Ghazzi, Arabic House &

C’25 2nd Floor GA

Omar Al-Ghazzi is a doctoral student at the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg

School for Communication. His research focuses on Arab media and how they

influence imaginations of national identities and collective memories. A former

Fulbright scholar, he has completed a Master’s degree in International Relations at

the American University in Washington D.C. and a Bachelor’s degree in

Communication Arts at the Lebanese American University in Beirut, Lebanon. Omar

comes from a journalism and media analysis professional background and has

previously worked for the BBC and Al-Hayat Arabic daily.

RESIDENTIAL ADVISORS

Jennifer Wu, 4

th Floor RA

Jen Wu is a senior in the College majoring in Theatre Arts and (trying to major in)

Economics. From (the suburbs of) Boston, Jen (Wu) often finds it difficult to write

good. But she likes lists. For example: Things Jen Wu Likes: Grilled cheese with

tomato soup, Eugène Ionesco, white chocolate, coconut, dumplings, Peter

Sarsgaard, Colin Firth, string instruments, string theory, Parade, Adding Machine: a

Musical, Captain von Trapp (the Christopher Plummer version), Stephen Fry, Dr.

Pepper, Dunkin' Donuts (founded in her hometown of Quincy, MA), chai tea latte,

Henry Higgins, a bowl of rice topped with an egg that still has a gooey yolk bit,

pretending to be fluent in Mandarin and French, and last but not least, Rupert Giles

(and accordingly, Anthony Head). After Penn, Jen plans to either go to law school

or work for the BBC. But not before taking a long trip on board the T.A.R.D.I.S.

Tenaya Anue, VP 3

rd Floor RA, Fa ‘12

Tenaya is a movie-lover with a special fondness for artistic films and anything

featuring a mad painter, a good mystery, or produced by Hayao Miyazaki. Despite

her reclusive artistic tendencies, she is surprisingly friendly. Feel free to talk to

her about anything. She will be leaving Gregory at the end of Fall 2012 semester.

Rachel Liu, VP 3

rd Floor RA, Sp’ 13

Rachel is a senior majoring in Biomedical Engineering and pursuing minors in

Nanotechnology and Engineering Entrepreneurship. She likes puns, dancing, doing

tissue culture lab work, being useful, and making people happy. Ask her about

being a Bioengineer, or being from Massachusetts, or doing research, or anything

else. She will be your RA starting Spring 2013.

Katie Malykhina., C’25 RA

Katsiaryna, also known as Katie, spent half her life in Belarus and the other in

Oklahoma before coming to Philadelphia to major in Your Brains (Biological Basis of

Behavior) and minor in Wilderness Living (Environmental Science). She is fond of

reality, fantasy, and everything in between. (Especially superpowers. Please let

her know if you have any of those.) When not in her 3rd floor room in Class of ’25,

she can be spotted barefoot in the trees, meditating on a tower of chemistry

books, or finding other ways to exist as a cylon. She will gladly accompany anyone

on a mission to create, destroy, explore, or simply eat, at anytime, anywhere. This

offer does not expire and can be redeemed by anyone. Even muggles.

ROLES LOCATION { The Faculty Master }

is a senior faculty member who builds a vibrant academic community in the

House and serves on the Residential Faculty Council.

{ The House Dean }

is the chief administrative officer, providing advice and support for residents,

supervising staff, and overseeing programming.

{ The House Coordinator }

is the administrative assistant to the House Dean.

{ The Fellows }

are standing faculty members or administrators who strengthen the connection

between the House and the intellectual life of the University.

{ Graduate Associates (GAs) }

are students from Penn’s doctoral and professional programs who sponsor

academic and social programs and provide an immediate resource for their

floors.

{ Residential Advisors (RAs) }

are undergraduates who focus specifically on the freshman community on the

third and fourth floors of Van Pelt

{ House Managers }

are undergraduate residents and student leaders who perform vital functions in

the House.

DAIRA

EKIN

ANDREW

SKYLAR

ALEXANDRE

OMAR

CHUNCHUN

KATIE

DIEGO

SARAH

JEN

TENAYA (FALL 2012)

RACHEL (SPRING 2013)

KATIE M.

VP 112

VP 217

VP 317

VP 417

C25 210

C25 207

C25 104

C25 307

C25 407

C25 410

VP 406

VP 306

VP 306

C25 301

HOUSE MANAGERS

Jennifer Preys

Events Manager

Jennifer, a proud member of the College Class of 2015, originally hails from that sunny land

of the stars, Los Angeles, CA where she cultivated a passion for culture and peaceful living.

An obsessive linguistics major, she enjoys discussing any and all aspects of human

communication patterns, chatting in and about foreign languages, and referring to herself in

the third person. Her official job within Gregory is to plan events for the house and ensure

that dietarily-restricted Gregorians (such as herself) do not starve at said events.

Unofficially, she prides herself on wiping out the competition for best attendance at house

film screenings. Feel free to approach Jennifer with whatever concerns, questions, and/or

suggestions you may have about anything to do with, well, anything.

Sara Ghebremariam

Events Manager

Sara Ghebremariam is in her 9th semester at Penn (she doesn't like the term "super

senior", it makes her feel old) studying Psychology and Economics. She was born at UPenn

hospital, grew up in West Philly and went to high school on 45th and Chestnut, so in a way

she has been working her way back to Penn ever since birth. Also, she enjoys running more

than God probably intended any human being to and likes the occasional yoga class. As an

event manager in the fall Sara will help pull off some of Gregory staple events and then

what ever else strikes her fancy. She was in fact assigned a dorm room in Gregory VPM but

you are more likely to find her in the computer lab doing anything from studying, eating,

sleeping to occasionally goofing off with the ITAs.

Melissa Sosa

Events Manager - BYOM

Melissa is a junior in the College studying Biological Basis of Behavior and Cinema Studies.

She is also currently doing research in Autism as a Penn McNair Scholar. As a native Texan,

Melissa is filled with southern hospitality and her hobbies include: watching movies, eating,

sleeping, breathing, sitting at the Info Desk, baking for BYOM, coordinating events, talking

about Big Time Rush and various other silly things. You will find her either at the Van Pelt

Info Desk or the piano lounge. If you see her, say hi, make her your friend. She’s pretty cool

and witty. Charming too.

Michael Kraus

Film Culture Manager

Michael is hoping to graduate with a major in English and a minor in Film, but who knows

how that's going to work out. He is unhealthily obsessed with movies, so it's a good thing

he's the Film Culture co-manager, otherwise he would sit in the dark and watch movies by

himself. He is also inordinately passionate about television (there's a surprise), religiously

watching everything from Mad Men to Doctor Who (the artificial name-dropping of which he

hopes will gain him some nerdy friends, but will likely only invite mockery and scorn, and

rightfully so). From his position of slight authority, he enthusiastically welcomes any

questions or comments or desires for advice, though if that indeed happens he will most

likely be a) baffled as to what people think he could possibly offer, and b) ultimately

unhelpful. He knows that his staff picture looks ridiculous. He is also very honest.

Jason Merrin

Film Culture Manager

Jason Merrin's hobbies include comic books, making movies, and long walks on the Beach.

In 2011, he installed a ball pit in his room, which he maintains was a very good idea. He

loves helping people and has difficulty saying "no," so be sure to ask him if you can borrow

money when you see him. You'll find him wandering around Van Pelt aimlessly (he won't

admit it, but he's probably gotten lost again). Feel free to ask him anything! But be warned:

if your question is not about Chris Claremont's run on Uncanny X-Men from 1975-1991, or

the subtle ways in which Golden Age Batman influenced the Grant Morrison penned Batman:

RIP, he probably won't be of much use to you.

Alex Yuan

Study Break / Office Manager

From the bay area of the golden state, California, Alex never truly knew what cold weather

was like until coming to Penn. Thankfully, in the warm company of Gregory, he thrived

through two winters and will be back for his third year. Alex is currently majoring in Finance

and Operations and his hobbies include tennis, cooking, and any form of games (video, card,

board, you name it). He can be found in the piano lounge, at any of Gregory's events, at the

front desk, and (this year) in the office. If you see him say hi because he might be too shy to

be the first to introduce himself but is always willing to make a new friend or just talk about

anything.

Rick Krajewski

Brunch Manager

Surmounting all odds and not flunking out despite playing an obsessive amount of video

games ("Is he even a student?"), Rick is a junior from New York City majoring in Electrical

Engineering. When not playing video games (which is never), Rick enjoys riding public

transportation, wandering around Philadelphia, and being approached by strangers due to

his seemingly inviting disposition (otherwise known as "staring blankly into space"). He

also likes photography, music, and movies, and is more than willing to talk about any of

them if it will allow him to procrastinate. Rick is excited to be a Publications Manager

because he can delude himself into thinking that he's still a hip New Yorker (back when it

was cool).

Naqsh Haque

Dinner with Gregory Manager

Cognitive Science Major, Economics Minor, Senior-in-Denial, and Procrastinator

Extraordinaire, Naqsh has been a denizen of Gregory since she first arrived at Penn. When

she is not studying, Naqsh spends her time playing hazardous amounts of video games,

listening to Prairie Home Companion, and drinking tea--usually at the same time. Naqsh

hails from Virginia via Sri Lanka, Egypt, and Pakistan, and calls them all home. She can

usually be found in the Piano Lounge, complaining about the mountains of work she has.

Andrew Dierkes

Dinner with Gregory Manager

Andrew Dierkes was born and raised in the western suburbs of Philadelphia. As a

sophomore in the School of Nursing, he is one of the few male nursing students on campus.

He enjoys his position as a photographer for the Daily Pennsylvanian and is an active

member of Penn’s Newman Center. He greatly enjoyed his time with Casa Hispanica last

year, and looks forward to exploring the Film Culture program this year. Be sure to attend

Dinner with Gregory, which will be co-managed this year by Andrew.

Noreen Sit

Cafe Manager

A Connecticut native and fourth year resident in Class of 1925, Noreen is pursuing a degree

in Classical Studies with a minor in Linguistics. When not giggling at a Plautine comedy or

attempting epiglottal trills, she spends her time curled up with her yarn and needles,

indulging her tea and chocolate addictions, spending recklessly at thrift stores, observing

her hermit crabs' antics, making bad puns, and struggling to reach the top shelf. Noreen has

lost count of how many times she's seen The Room and is steadily nearing her goal of

memorizing the entire movie script. She is happy to be a part of the Gregory community and

looks forward to working in the Darkroom Café again this year!

Mary Xia

Café Manager

If you ask Mary "Where are you from?", she will be all shifty-eyed because she isn't really

sure how to answer. It is therefore much safer to ask her about what food she currently

feels like eating. Mary loves food (especially whole wheat bread, peanut butter, McVitie's

Digestives, Vegemite, cheese, corn products...and the list goes on). When she is not fretting

about biology, she enjoys cooking, blogging, and running around the terrain. Non-food stuff

that make her happy include snow, drawing with oil pastels, internet, The Basil Brush Show,

hamsters, playing ultimate frisbee, reading Harry Potter books, and the idea that

correlation does not imply causation. She dislikes phones and bees.

Glen Brixey

Café Manager

Glen is a junior from Salt Lake City, Utah. He is a third-year resident in Class of 1925, and is

majoring in Physics and Astronomy (particularly Astronomy), with a minor in Computer

Science. Glen enjoys classical music, science fiction, and going on long excursions around

Philadelphia on bike or foot. He is a confirmed Anglophile, and watches more BBC news and

comedy than doctors recommend. He encourages you to come and visit him in the Darkroom

Café, buy a latté, and tell him your life story.

HOUSE COUNCIL

The Gregory House Council is a volunteer undergraduate body made up of residents from both buildings. Freshmen are very

welcome to join. Responsibilities for returning students include serving as House Mentors

(http://gregory.house.upenn.edu/upperclass_mentors) to new Gregorians by participating in welcome meetings with

assigned freshmen, exchange and transfer students early in each semester and in course selection-themed study breaks

during registration periods. Responsibilities for new students include proposing and mounting two larger-scale House

events. Time commitment is minimal: occasional meetings, regular listserv postings, and the execution of a number of

projects throughout the year. Council members represent the House during Penn Previews and other University functions, and

communicate the suggestions and concerns of our residents to the Senior Staff and other campus administrators such as

representatives from Housing and Conference Services, Facilities Services and Public Safety. The Council also appoints a

member to serve on the campus-wide Residential Advisory Board (RAB). To join the Council, contact Chris or Winnie or wait

for the introductory meeting in September.

ITAs

When you arrive at Gregory, an Information Technology Advisor (ITA) will help you set up your computer to access the wired

and wireless networks at Penn. Wireless internet is available throughout both buildings, including all bedrooms. If you ever

need assistance with your computer, technical support is provided by ITAs; just stop by the computer labs during staffed lab

hours (weeknights and limited hours on weekends; hours will be announced during move-in) or visit

http://www.rescomp.upenn.edu/ to submit a request. An ITA will contact you to schedule an appointment. ITAs also help

Gregory residents set up their email accounts and provide general support.

MOVE-IN If you can, move in either really early or later in the evening. Working around the "rush hour" really helps alleviate stress and fights between you and your parents! – Melissa S. Think about what you need to bring to college, and cut that amount in half. You should only bring what you absolutely need. – Katie R. Pack light & bring a fan. – Michael F. Pack light so you have room to create a new space for yourself -- i.e. leave all but your top 3 favorite movies at home, you'll have plenty to discover and add to your queue here. – Katie M. Try and limit yourself to bringing the essentials. You will still pack way too much, but image how much worse it would be if you didn't at least try to limit it – Sara G.

- Don't bring very much with you, you will gather even more stuff over the course of the year and have a lot to move out. - Talk to your roommates right away, introduce yourself and talk about cleaning, space usage, and such. - Print out your guest and parking passes from Campus Express beforehand. - Don't spend too much time unpacking and arranging stuff on the first day, you will probably end up rearranging it later. - To save money on textbooks, buy them from Amazon or the Penn Book Bazaar, or check them out from the library. – Glen B. Move-in and NSO is the best time to expand your horizons. Meet as many people as you can and take as many opportunities as you can to see the city. – Alex Y. It’s never too early to put in the request for mousetraps. – Jason M.

FAQ Can I move in early?

Students looking to move in before the standard move-in day

should contact Housing and Conference Services (215-898-

3547). Students can usually move in a few days early, though

there will be a daily charge added to their bursar bill at a later

date. We don’t recommend freshmen coming earlier than a

day or so before their scheduled move-in date; summer work

might still be going on in the buildings, staff will be in training,

and Penn’s official welcoming and orientation activities will not

have started yet.

Can I see my room during the summer?

Possibly, depending on whether your schedule corresponds

with ours. Please contact the House Office (215-573-5171) to

try to work something out. We’d be happy to meet with you.

Wait, the rooms don’t have AC?

No, but both buildings have public spaces that do: in Van Pelt,

the piano lounge, seminar room, kitchen and film lounge; in

Class of 1925, the greenhouse and entire basement (which has

plenty of study rooms, etc). So there are places to go to beat

the heat. Bring a healthy-sized fan, of course.

How big are the beds?

Twin extra long.

Can I bring my own furniture?

Yes, but Housing will not remove and store the current

furniture; it is up to residents to make sure that the original

furnishings are back in the room when they move-out.

Is Gregory open over breaks?

Not winter break; students can usually find on-campus

accommodations in the high rises or the University City

Sheraton for that period. We ARE open for fall break,

Thanksgiving break, and spring break.

Who gets the large bedroom?

Roommates should discuss this before arrival to avoid early

conflict. Students in the two smaller rooms do have the option

to move into the two larger rooms after winter break. It is

entirely their decision.

Do first year students need to arrive by the

appointed freshmen move-in day?

Yes! On that first night, freshmen will meet with their GAs/RAs

and other staff to learn all about the House, programming,

rules, Penn, etc. These meetings are mandatory. New Student

Orientation activities are in full swing the next day and most

of those are quite useful.

Fridges?

You can rent them. Information on some vendors should be

available on campusexpress.

Furnishings?

There is a bed, desk, chest of drawers, lamp and chair for each

student. Students should bring additional lighting, like desk

lamps.

Is there housekeeping for the bathroom?

Nope, students are on their own. Roommates should discuss

cleaning schedules, supply costs, expectations, toilet paper, etc.

What do the rooms look like?

There are pics available on our “room selection” page of our

website (gregory.house.upenn.edu).

Is there a lock on my bedroom door?

The front door to the suite locks, of course, and you can lock

your individual bedroom door while you’re inside (no key).

Facilities will fine students who replace the lock on their

bedroom door. We have had very few instances where

roommates entered rooms without permission, etc; it’s

important to establish trust with your roommates and discuss

your expectations regarding privacy and personal space. You

can arrange for installation of a safe through Housing and

Conference Services over the summer if you want some piece

of mind.

Will I be isolated from other freshmen?

NO! In Van Pelt, the top two floors are almost entirely

freshmen, so you’ll be surrounded by 90+ first year students.

In ’25, floors are mixed between freshmen and upperclassmen,

but there are significant numbers of freshmen on each floor.

The House is 45%-50% freshmen in total, and almost all of the

upperclassmen were once Gregory freshmen who are

returning to the House for their second, third, or fourth year.

I didn’t apply to Modern Languages or Film Culture,

but since I’m going to be in the House can I still join?

Absolutely. There will be intro meetings after you arrive, but if

you want to put your name down for a program now, just let

us know.

Is there much closet space?

Yes. Each student has a closet in their bedroom, but there are

two extra closets in the common hallway that connects the

bedrooms (in a quad; doubles have one).