Special Interest Housing (SIH)

Living with Purpose at Dickinson

Special Interest Housing (SIH) is a Residence Life & Hosing supported program that offers upper-class students the opportunity to live in intentional, student-led communities centered on shared interest, identities, academic connections, or values.

Special Interest Housing communities are:

• Student driven and self-governed, with support from Residence Life & Housing
• Built around a shared theme, purpose, or area of interest
• Designed to foster belonging, leadership, and accountability

Special Interest Housing communities are located in upper-class houses and apartments and are renewed annually through a spring application process.

Goals of Special Interest Housing:

• Promote engaged citizenship and community responsibility
• Support student leadership and self-governance
• Create inclusive, purpose-driven residential communities
• Encourage personal growth, reflection, and identity development

How to join a Special Interest House!

1. Attend the Special Interest Housing Fair on February 25th from 6:30-8pm in the HUB Social Hall
2. Connect with Current Houses – EngageD pages are linked below!
3. Apply! Applications to live in a SIH will be available in your housing portal on February 2nd.

House Liaison

Each SIH is required to select one or more House Liaisons to provide student leadership and serve as the primary point of contact with Residence Life & Housing.

House Liaison are responsible for:

• Communicating with Residence Life & Housing and completing required training
• Maintaining an accurate house roster and updated House Charter on EngageD
• Facilitate house meetings and meet regularly with the Assistant Director of ResLife overseeing SIH (Tori Campbell)
• Coordinate at least one House event per semester
• Lead the annual renewal process in the spring semester

Faculty/Staff Advisor

Each SIH is supported by a faculty or staff advisor who provides mentorship and guidance connected to the house’s theme or focus. Advisors serve as a consistent resource for the community and House Liaison(s).

House Charter

Each SIH must maintain a house charter, which serves as a shared guiding document. The charter outlines the house’s purpose, values, community expectations, and goals. Each House Charter can be found on their EngageD page.

Renewal & Expectations

Each SIH is renewed annually through a review process that consider community engagement, completion of required meetings and events, timely submission of materials, and overall sustainability.

Housing locations are not guaranteed year to year and may change based on availability and demand.

New house application will not be available for the 26-27 academic year.