Ashdown House was the first graduate residence at MIT (and only the second in the United States). From the very beginning, it has actively promoted social interactions among its residents and has fostered a tight-knit community of students. Like any great endeavor, this would not be possible without the dedication of several important people, as described below.

Running the Dormitory

Housemasters Ann and Terry Orlando serve as judges for an in-house smoothie-making contest.

At the center of the Ashdown community are (and have always been) the Housemasters. Currently, the Housemasters are EECS Professor Terry Orlando and Dr. Ann Orlando. Since accepting the position in 2001, the Orlandos have worked tirelessly for the welfare of Ashdown House and its residents. Not only have they continued several important traditions, such as Thursday night Coffee Hour, the annual Thanksgiving Banquet and Housemaster Dinners for residents, but they have also spent countless hours voicing our interests to the MIT administration. In addition, the Housemasters are actively involved in the dorm management, which helps to ensure a smoothly-running, successful community.

Working hand-in-hand with the Housemasters is our House Manager, Denise Lanfranchi and her staff, Leonard Ferrari, Jean Drohan, John Gallagher, Pablo Lara and Marie Meguel. Together, these individuals facilitate the day-to-day running of Ashdown. This includes administrative tasks (such as maintaining a database of residents, issuing keys and receiving mail) as well as facilities-related tasks (such as fixing broken equipment and ensuring common spaces remain clean). Without these individuals, the dorm would not be such a friendly and comfortable place to live.

Ashdown residents also play a key role in ensuring a successful graduate experience. The student-related issues of the dorm are managed by the Ashdown House Executive Committee (AHEC). AHEC is elected annually in the spring and oversee most aspect of the dorm life. They promote community by encouraging social events, manage much of the Ashdown budget, organize the student officers and run the room assignment lotteries. Additionally, they are the official representatives of Ashdown to the MIT administration as well as the primary liaisons to other student groups. All residents should feel free to contact ahec@mit.edu for any questions regarding life at Ashdown House.

Working under the supervision of AHEC are the few dozen Ashdown Officers, a group of students devoted to improving life at Ashdown in a variety of different ways. Some officers are responsible for organizing events such as Coffee Hour, Brunch, dance parties and alumni outreach events. Others are responsible for the equipment and resources within the dorm such as the computers/printers, the athletics equipment, the fish tank, the piano, the dorm TVs, and the common kitchen supplies. Although their duties vary, the dedication of each officer is important to the well-being of our community. A complete list of all the officer positions can be found on the Government page.

Life, Traditions and Culture

Ashdown House has always been a place of culture and social life, a tight-knit community of graduate students who truly embrace the advantages of dorm life at MIT. It is a uniquely diverse environment where students from nearly every corner of the world bring their own traditions, languages and perspectives.

Residents snatch up fruit, pancakes, and other foods at Brunch

Besides the socializing and cultural exchange that arises naturally among students living in Ashdown House, we host a number of regular social and cultural events for residents. These include

• Thursday Night Coffee Hour: Perhaps the most well-known and longest-standing Ashdown event, this weekly gathering provides residents with an opportunity to chat with one another and escape from the stress of MIT academics. We typically do not run any programming during Coffee Hour except a few times a year, so it is really just a time to meet your friends, relax and chat over free food in our largest common room. Despite the name of the event, we do also serve lots of ice cream and snacks.
• Sunday Brunch: Ashdown House is one of the sites for monthly Sunday Brunches. This is open to all graduate students (on and off campus), and typically has an attendance of more than 300 people.
• Dance Fusion Parties: For the past few years, Ashdown House has also hosted at least one dance party per semester. These are full-blown galas with varying themes, from Harry Potter to the Matrix to Arabian Nights.
• July 4th BBQ: This event features an outdoor picnic of hot dogs, hamburgers, sausages, chicken and various side dishes.

Ashdown Concerts are a cultural experience: students show off their repertoire from classical to modern, and from every corner of the world.

• Concert: We usually have at least one concert per year in which residents and alumni from Ashdown House show off what they've been upto outside of the lab. We encourage everyone from beginners to music majors to show off anything they wish to their fellow resident friends. Check out the concert programs from 2008 and 2009!
• Cultural Committee and Floor Events: Every year, we hold a few heavily-subsidised outings to concerts, operas and museums for residents. Our cultural committee also is responsible for a number of in-house events that bring both local and foreign cultures to Ashdown House, including holiday-themed events, a Pi Day celebration, a Philosophy reading group, and many others.
• Your idea: Do you have an idea for Ashdown residents, want to spearhead it, and need funding? Just come to an AHEC meeting and and we'll try to make it possible.