Residential Education
The Residential Education team consists of House Advisors, Assistant Directors, and the Director of Residential Education. These live-in professional administrators are dedicated to building a safe and welcoming community within each of our Houses.
The House Team
House Advisors act as liaisons between the Office of Residential Life and the Houses. House Advisors supervise Student Fellows, Community Fellows, Student Fellow Advisors, First-Year Representatives, House Vice Presidents, and House Presidents, and serve as a support to House Fellow Interns. House Advisors are responsible for one to two houses, for which they oversee building management, ensure the well-being of the students, and provide social/cultural/educational programming within the House.
House Advisors also rotate as the Administrator-on-Call (AOC). The AOC is available to reach 24/7 by calling the Campus Response Center (CRC) at (845) 437-7333.
House Fellows are faculty members who live with their families in apartments within the houses. House Fellows help to create a sense of community in the house, hosting study-breaks and other events, and providing informal advising to the students in their house.
Student Fellows are returning students who have been trained to provide peer-to-peer support to students new to Vassar. Student Fellows are assigned to a group of new students, either first-year students or Transfer, Visiting, & Exchange students. Student Fellows and their groups live on the same floor of their House. During their training, they become highly knowledgeable of campus resources and are trained to support new students through the social, emotional, and academic challenges that might arise.
Community Fellows are returning students who have been trained to provide peer mentorship for their fellow returning students. Each Community Fellow is assigned to a group of returning students who live on the same floor. Community Fellows are familiar with campus resources, and are trained to support their peers with the social and academic problems that can occur during their time at Vassar.
House Student Advisors, after having served on the House Team previously, provide ongoing guidance and mentorship for the members of the House Team. House Student Advisors work closely with the House Advisor and House President to support the House Team in all areas.
House Fellow Interns, paired with the House Fellows, serve as academic resources and aim to create opportunities for intellectual discourse (often over food) through programming both inside and outside the House.
House Presidents are returning students who serve to support all students in their house. They send weekly emails to their houses advertising upcoming events, are co-leaders of house team weekly meetings, and also serve as a voice for students within the Vassar Student Association.
House Vice Presidents are returning students who play a vital role in managing the logistics of the House Team. They often run their House Instagram accounts, help manage the House budget, and support House Presidents in advocating for the House.
First-Year Representatives, elected to the House Team by the members of the House, are the first-year student voice within their house as members of the House Team.
What is H.O.M.E.?
H.O.M.E. is a holistic residential curriculum supported by the mission of the Office of Residential Life that facilitates creative programming, builds meaningful campus partnerships, and promotes intentional opportunities for students’ engagement with their house, Vassar College, and beyond.
What does it stand for?
Helpful Skills - Students will learn and develop transferable skills that will serve their lives beyond Vassar College.
Open Dialogue - Students will be involved in conversations meant to broaden their worldview through storytelling and active listening.
Mindfulness - Students will learn about holistic well-being and incorporate tools to maintain healthy practices.
Engagement - Students will deepen their passions, participate in traditions, and contribute to the campus community.
What will this look like?
Each month has a different programmatic theme. House Team Events, SF/CF Circles, Signature Events (led by Campus Partners & Res Life), and Vassar Public Events will highlight the theme of each month.
The themes are as follows:
- August/September = Connections
- October = Balance
- November = Identity Development
- December = Wellness
- January = Envisioning
- February = Healthy Practices
- March = Gratitude
- April = Sustainability
- May = Traditions
Brewer Bucks
Brewer Bucks are the currency students earn by attending H.O.M.E. events. This currency can be spent at the end of the semester at the Brewer Bucks auction!