Every Wednesday night at exactly 10 p.m., a crowd gathers outside the door of Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Dennis DeTurck, who is also Faculty Master of Riepe College House.
Outside DeTurck's apartment, a line of hungry Riepe-ites await their weekly treat of cookies and milk. When he opens his door, hungry students pour in to grab their favorite cookies: snickerdoodles, chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin. DeTurck's celebrated weekly cookie breaks are just one of the perks of living in Riepe
Riepe residents also look forward to poetry nights, bi-weekly Sunday espresso open houses with other faculty members who live in the College House, “Dinners with Interesting People” and Tuesday night house dinners featuring House Dean Marilynne Diggs-Thompson’s famous mac and cheese. These regular events are complemented by special house trips throughout the year to Penn’s Morris Arboretum, Linvilla Orchards, Philadelphia Premium Outlets, King of Prussia Mall, Philadelphia Orchestra at the Kimmel Center, Reading Terminal Market and Phillies' games at Citizens Bank Park.
“We have fun here and I love working with our staff and faculty — they really care about Riepe residents and are willing to work hard and go the extra mile to make their Riepe experience as wonderful as possible,” said Diggs, who says she loves to cook for her residents.
Riepe is one of the three houses that make up Penn’s historic Quad. It the easternmost portion of the Quad, located near the 36th street entrance. In the College House's several connected buildings, there are multiple amenities:
- Computer Lab
- Laundry Room
- Music Practice Room
- Libraries and lounges
- “The Grotto," a fully stocked convenience store
- Easy access to all other buildings/spaces in Ware College House and Fisher-Hassenfeld College House
Riepe is also home to several residential programs, like the Integrated Studies Program.
If you like cookies, mac and cheese, historic architecture, hardwood floors — and squirrels — then you’ll love living in Riepe College House!
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