About Service House

While the Service House is centered around serving others, don't be fooled into thinking that this means you can't enjoy yourself! Continue reading to find information on some of our activities, in addition to the requirements for living in the SMUSH.

Formal Requirement

  1. Perform a minimum of 20 hours individual service and 10 hours service with the house each semester
  2. Attend a minimum of 2 reflection sessions
  3. Turn in a monthly log of service hours
  4. Fully participate in the House Retreat
  5. Attend House Meetings
  6. Actively participate in one of the House Committees:
    1. Service - plans service projects for the house.
    2. Special Events - plans parties, themed events, and other unique experiences.
    3. Public Relations - plan recruitment of new residents.
    4. Kitchen / House Improvement - manage the kitchen and improvements to the house.
  7. Cook 1 House Dinner per semester
  8. Assist in recruiting new residents for the following semester
  9. Assist with kitchen duty at least once per semester
  10. Participate in Leadership and Community Involvement leadership conferences/workshops
  11. Register and complete Wellness 2170 (choices II course) within the first year in the House

Community Life

During the first few days of each semester, everyone in the house participates in House Retreat. At this retreat, new and old residents find common ground, hang out, and generally also do a service project of some sort. Although the service takes priority for a few hours, the remainder of the time is for building friendships and having fun.

Each week of the semester, a pair of residents prepares a large dinner to share with everyone in the house. The costs for the meal are funded by Residence Life & Student Housing (RLSH), so all you do is decide what you want to cook! In the past, SMUSH house dinners have ranged from simple meals of a few soups to homemade chicken pot pie to complete Thanksgiving feasts. Eating meals together only the SMUSH family closer together in a way that is almost impossible to find in a traditional residence hall.

In addition to these activities, the Community Assistants, our equivalent to RAs, and special events committee put on a variety of programs throughout the semester. Past programs include practical activities such as TIPS certification, time management or test preparation assistance, and resume building, but also fun programs like movie nights, parties, contests and other similar activities.

Unlike most other on-campus residence halls, every member of the Service House attends house meetings, where they can participate in how the house is governed. Residents are in charge of almost every aspect of life in the house, from running meetings, to planning events, to setting and enforcing many of the rules.