Division of Campus Life
Residential Life

Program Houses

Program Houses are residential experiences that foster a sense of community by bringing people of common interests to a common living environment. Program Houses are student-led and are focused on a common interest, identity, or language. Among other activities, Program Houses organize cultural events and volunteer their time in the Providence community.

Learn about Residential Program Houses

Students interested in joining one of the Brown Residential Program Houses must at the time of recruitment:

  • Have completed at least one academic semester (defined as fall or spring term).
  • Be in good standing, both academic and conduct 
  • Must be enrolled at Brown prior to the start of the recruitment process
    • Brown/RISD dual-enrolled students qualify as enrolled at Brown
  • A student can not be an active member of more than one Residential Progam House

The Recruitment Process for Brown Residential Program Houses takes place in early Spring each year. During the recruitment dates, each Program House will individually host a number of events to get to know potential new members (PNMs). At the conclusion of the recruitment period, each residential Program House will extend bids to PNMs that they would like to offer to become members of their Program House. Those that are interested in participating in the recruitment process should reach out to the specific Program House to learn more about events and a specific timeline. Each Program House can offer bids to no more than 30 PNMs during recruitment each year. Occasionally organizations will conduct a Fall Recruitment process for non-first-year students, however, this has to be requested and approved by Brown ResLife. 

  • Recruitment Info Sessions held by Program Houses: November 1 - December 7, 2023
  • Official Recruitment Events: January 23 - February 20, 2024
  • Deadline for Program Houses to email Bids to PNMs: February 21, 2024 at 12PM
  • Deadline for PNMs to Accept/Decline a Bid: February 22, 2024 at 12PM

The safety and well-being of Brown students are our top priorities. Hazing is a violation of Rhode Island law, the Brown Code of Student Conduct, and Brown Policy. To learn more about Brown's Policy around Hazing and to report possible hazing activity please click HERE. 

All Program Houses are allotted a cluster of rooms within a Brown Residence Hall. These rooms are clustered together in order to facilitate a residential community for the Program House. Only active members within the Program House may live within the Program House allotment. If rooms within the allotment are not filled by active members those rooms will be retracted and removed from the Program House allotment.

 

Wriston Quad Progam Houses:

Program Houses that are located on Wriston Quad are eligible to have exclusive private space within the residence hall.

  • These spaces can include the following:
    • 1st Floor Lounge
    • Library
    • Kitchen
    • Basement Storage

In order to maintain eligibility for these spaces Program Houses must have the following number of members living within the organization's residence hall allotment (In-House Membership), failure to maintain in-house membership requirements could result in exclusive residential spaces being removed from the organization. 

In-House Membership Requirements

  • 2024-2025 Academic Year: 20 in-house members
    • 5 of which need to be returning members
  • 2025-2026 Academic Year (and beyond): 25 in-house members
    • 10 of which need to be returning members

Residential Program Houses

Identity Focused Program Houses

Brown Union of Global Students Program House serves as a residential experience where Brown students from across the globe with diverse backgrounds and stories come together. Through programs and events, the Brown Union of Global Students creates fun opportunities for cross-cultural exchange. Students have the opportunity to create long-lasting friendships both within and beyond their grade and are paired with older students in the house who serve as their "families". This tight-knit community is one that many in the house have described as incredibly impactful on their Brown experience and a community that stays with you long after you graduate. Moreover, philanthropy is integral to the program house experience. Throughout the year, members engage in group fundraising activities, volunteering, and direct engagement with charities abroad and underprivileged international communities here in Providence. 

Brown Women's Collective (BWC) is a program house of women dedicated to empowerment, diversity, and sisterhood. As an organization, we strive to center our collegiate experience in service by focusing on women's health and safety issues here in Rhode Island. Using our shared motivation for creating good in our communities and selves, BWC is a space for professional and personal growth. BWC serves to uplift intersectional experiences and do so through community events.

  • Connect with Brown Women's Collective:
    • Location: Marcy House
    • Email:  womenscollective@brown.edu
    • Instagram: @brownuwomenscollective
    • LinkedIn: Brown Women's Collective

In the Spring of 1993, a group of concerned, African-American Brown University students, along with the overwhelming support of the university’s Black faculty, staff, and students proposed the creation of Africa House. The initiators of Africa House conceived it as an answer to “... a need to be able to live in a Black environment and [to have] common space to enable social, community, and cultural expression to occur.” The mission of the House is to create a society that serves future generations where spiritual, cultural, and family values contribute to the building, upholding, and preserving of a strong, solidified, and supportive Black community for the students of Brown University. Additionally, we will prioritize the inclusivity of all values and groups that surround the larger Black community at Brown University.

House of Ninnuog serves as a communal and healing space centering Indigeneity and Native students on campus. In honor and recognition of the original stewards of the land Brown occupies, House of Ninnuog refers to "House of the People" in the Narragansett language. As a living space, the house is dedicated to connecting students and providing a center for visibility, wellness, and the wide range of Indigenous cultural expression. 

La Casita aims to provide a space of safety, education, community, and belonging for Latinx students and those interested in learning more about Latin American identities and culture. Our house strengthens and develops the Latinx community by serving as a space in which we celebrate the commonalities and differences that exist within and across our diverse Latin American identities. Whether it's through social gatherings or educational campaigns, our culture deserves to be uplifted and recognized on campus to ensure that Latinx students feel like there is a place at Brown for them. La Casita provides a space where we can cook our food, play our music, and hold our traditional celebrations. It is our home away from home. ¡Somos una familia! Nou se yon fanmi! Nós somos uma família!"

 

Interest Focused Program Houses

North House residents are a cheerful mix of people committed to environmentalism, social activism, and the arts. At any given moment, the houses are bustling with activity and you can always find people cooking food, making tea, playing music, and discussing how to bring change to the world. Providing residents with a space where it is comfortable to develop new relationships with one another and to discover one's self while having a blast. 

West House is one of Brown’s two Environmental Program Houses, well known for its vegetarian food community. Residents and out-of-house members make up a fun and loving group committed to environmentalism, eating locally, community-building, and our beloved compost bucket. We are a food-centered co-op that eats communal dinners together Sunday-Friday, along with co-hosting weekly open dinners with North House and hosting occasional community events. 

Folks, it's King House! What is King House? It's a house! To be specific, we're the house on the corner of Hope and Benevolent—154 Hope Street. You may also know us as St. Anthony Hall (but we have no religious affiliation). We’re a co-ed literary society that aims to cultivate an inclusive and passionate community devoted to the creation and appreciation of the arts. We're also siblings, friends, and a home for diverse, quirky, kind folks that want a place to belong, a place that will push them to grow and better themselves. In other words, a collective of students who like, among many other things, spirited conversation, good vibes, books of all genres, Miyazaki movies, vigilante gardening, singing along to a wide range of songs, drinking endless cups of tea, and meeting new folks who think they might vibe with us! As a community, King House affirms and welcomes all people regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, disability, socioeconomic background, or religious affiliation. 

Technology House offers a welcoming and supportive community that will assist you in your pursuits. Whether it's building trebuchets, playing board games, or whatever your interests may be, others in our community will likely share your enthusiasm. We pride ourselves on our rich, ongoing history of projects and events, including SciLi Tetris and Javaspook (our annual Halloween event). Members enjoy access to our in-house server and their very own Tech House email address and a workspace for house projects.

Language Focused Program Houses

Bienvenidos a La Casa Machado! We aim to build community and find support in one another. Members are encouraged to speak Spanish with each other and participate in community activities. We encourage members of the Brown community to come to our events to meet new people and practice their Spanish with us (regardless of proficiency).

French House is a community of Brown students interested in the language and culture of the French-speaking world. House activities open to the Brown community consist of parties, "pain et fromage" gatherings, film screenings, and cultural events. In-house activities include study breaks and optional co-ops. Each member helps to make French House a community by taking an active part in house management. If you are interested in the French language and its related cultures and want to live in an intimate, friendly atmosphere, then French House is a great opportunity to enrich your college experience. A conversational level of French is helpful but not required.

  • Connect with French House: