Beginning in Fall 2017, students of Penn State Brandywine will be showing up to campus with more than just their textbooks. Next fall, the newly built residence hall will fill up with both incoming freshman and returning Brandywine students, with Elizabeth Kearns as the director of housing and food services and Iris Richardson as the interim associate director of residence life. Kearns has provided a lot of information on the residence hall and important things to know for anyone planning to apply for a room!
It was decided that the residence hall would be named Orchard Hall, in reference to the former apple orchard on which Penn State Brandywine stands. Orchard Hall will consist of traditional style rooms, housing two people per room. However, the building will consist of much more than that. In addition to these traditional style rooms, there will be laundry facilities, multiple study lounges and a full kitchen for everyone’s late night cookie baking needs!
If the cookies aren’t enticing enough, don’t worry there’s more. Many have been curious about that huge stone building being built next to Tomezsko. That building will be the new Student Union which will house student affairs’ offices, the school bookstore, the Lion’s Den and a full dining facility.
When they say a full dining facility, they don’t just mean a typical school lunch with potato chips and pizza that tastes like cardboard. This dining hall, large enough to hold 300 people, will offer a fully stocked salad bar, pizza, pasta and a deli to make a variety of sandwiches. There will even be Penn State Berkey Creamery ice cream! Also, for all of the students who can barely drag themselves to a 9:00 a.m. class without a double shot caramel macchiato, don’t worry because Brandywine secured a Starbuck’s license and will have a Starbucks included right in the Student Union building!
Convinced yet? If so, apply now! The application for freshman is first-come first-serve, so find a computer quick and log into eliving.psu.edu.
“As of February 3, students still interested in a housing contract can request through eliving.psu.edu,” said Kearns.
On this site students can apply for housing that puts them on the wait list for a room. Roommates are randomly assigned and there is a process for any conflict that may arise between roommates or any other issues.
The people who will help resolve some of these conflicts and will help make Orchard Hall a great place for everyone are the resident assistants (RAs). The process to become an RA is done in two simple steps. First, fill out and submit the application that will be available starting this spring. Second, take the RA class now offered at Brandywine called Higher Education 302. Successful completion of the class and a 2.5 GPA are required elements for RAs at Orchard Hall.
There are already students who have applied and have received notice that they will be having an on-campus experience this coming fall! Don’t wait.
“As a new resident, I hope to become more involved in Brandywine’s campus because I won’t have to worry about running back and forth between home and school,” said Brooke S. Theveny, Freshman student at Penn State Brandywine.
Orchard Hall, beginning in Fall 2017 will be the place to be for all Penn State Brandywine students! The rooms are filling up quickly so if interested, follow the steps to apply now. Living in Orchard Hall will provide you with everything you need for a successful college career and give you many opportunities to be more involved in the campus community.
How do you like them apples?!