Themed Housing also known as Interest Houses, provide an opportunity for groups of students to live together for the purpose of exploring a common theme or connection. The group defines goals and objectives, and members of the group agree to work toward achieving the stated goals.
Some Interest Houses are operated with collaboration from a College office. These houses work closely to fulfill not only the mission of the house but also the values of the office they work with.
Fall 2025 Interest House Timeline
Saturday, February 1 – Applications Available
Sunday, April 6 – Applications Close
Monday, April 21 – Initial Offers to Students
Interested in becoming a Resident Assistant for an Interest House?
Atlas
Atlas is an intentional community for international students and allies at Carleton who are interested in cultural sharing, building connections across different backgrounds, and advocating for the global community at Carleton. Atlas is an extension of the Office of International Student Life, therefore part of the mission is to create meaningful programming that fosters belonging, builds community, supports student success, and raises awareness of issues impacting international students.
Advising Department: Office of International Student Life
CANOE
CANOE (Carleton Association of Nature and Outdoor Enthusiasts) is a nature-oriented interest house built on a love of communal living. As a member of our 16-person household, residents will cook and clean as a community.
CANOE is dedicated to creating a space that is open and welcoming to people of all identities and backgrounds, and to anyone vaguely-to-very interested in nature, flora, fauna, the environment, or just hanging out outside. CANOE is connected to CANOE club, but participation in one community is not contingent on the other.
CHAI
The Cultural House for Asian Identities (CHAI) is a community of students who live together and is designed to serve the multitude of Asian-identifying communities at Carleton College. CHAI strives to provide support and foster community for students who hold identities they feel resonate with the Interest House, and/or students who are passionate about advocating and educating around issues and topics connected to the identities represented.
House residents will foster belonging, build community, support student success, and raise awareness. These programs are open to the entire campus community. Visit OIL’s site to learn more about Cultural House Communities at Carleton.
Advising Department: Office of Intercultural Life
Culinary Interest House
The members of Culinary strive to have a pleasant community living environment focused around the preparation and enjoyment of good food. Members explore various culinary genres and traditions. Culinary is a resource for culinary learning and experience.
Farm
Farm fosters awareness and appreciation of sustainable agriculture and sustainable living. Members plant and tend an organic garden, offer educational programs focusing on sustainable living, and host communal dinners.
F.I.S.H.
FISH serves as the Christian interest house on campus and a bright spot of Christian life at Carleton.
FISH is a wonderful community of Carls who are either Christians themselves or are curious and respectful of Christianity. It is a place of faith, devotion, acceptance, openness, community, and fun.
FISH is connected to the Office of the Chaplain and receives programmatic and pastoral support from the Associate Chaplain for Christian and Interfaith Life. Participation in Chapel-sponsored events is encouraged but not required.
During the 2025–2026 Academic Year, the FISH Community will be located in a different residential location while Douglas House undergoes essential renovations. The location will be announce once determined.
Advising Department: Chaplain’s Office
Freedom
Freedom is a community of students who live together and is designed to serve the African American and the many African Diaspora communities at Carleton College. Freedom strives to provide support and foster community for students who hold identities they feel resonate with the Interest House objectives, and/or students who are passionate about advocating and educating around issues and topics connected to the identities centered.
Residents will foster belonging, build community, support student success, and raise awareness. These programs are open to the entire campus community. Visit OIL’s site to learn more about Cultural House Communities at Carleton.
Advising Department: Office of Intercultural Life
Jewish Interest House
Jewish Interest House is a residential space dedicated to Jewish life and culture on campus. Unique to the house is a kosher kitchen for students to use and enjoy Jewish social and cultural activities. The house is a welcoming place to gather on Friday nights for Shabbat services and dinners, and assure that it is a welcoming center for Jewish life, open and accessible to all members of the Carleton community.
During the 2025–2026 Academic Year, the Jewish Interest Community will be located in a different residential location while Page House undergoes essential renovations. The location will be announce once determined.
Advising Department: Chaplain’s Office
Khéya Kiƞ Ihdúwitayapi (The Turtles Gather)
Khéya Kiƞ Ihdúwitayapi or The Turtles Gather, is a community of students who live together and is designed to serve the Indigenous communities at Carleton College. Khéya Kiƞ Ihdúwitayapi strives to provide support and foster community for students who hold identities they feel resonate with the community objectives, and/or students who are passionate about advocating and educating around issues and topics connected to the identities represented.
Residents will foster belonging, build community, support student success, and raise awareness. These programs are open to the entire campus community. Visit OIL’s site to learn more about Cultural House Communities at Carleton.
Advising Department: Office of Intercultural Life
La Casa del Sol
La Casa del Sol is a community of students who live together and is designed to serve the Hispanic and Latine communities at Carleton College. La Casa del Sol strives to provide support and foster community for students who hold identities they feel resonate with the house community name, and/or students who are passionate about advocating and educating around issues and topics connected to the identities represented.
Residents will foster belonging, build community, support student success, and raise awareness. These programs are open to the entire campus community. Visit OIL’s site to learn more about Cultural House Communities at Carleton.
Advising Department: Office of Intercultural Life
Muslim Interest House
Muslim Interest House serves as a hub and home for Muslim life at Carleton. It provides space for Muslim social and cultural activities, halal meals, and community. Muslim Interest House also provides space for communal religious observance, such as fasting during Ramadan and daily prayer.
Muslim Interest House is open to those who are Muslim and/or who would like to learn more about Islam and who are committed to respecting the Muslim values of the house. It is a single gender space, therefore, the gender composition of the house will be decided each year based on the applicants.
During the 2025–2026 Academic Year, the Muslim Interest Community will be located in a different residential location while Page House undergoes essential renovations. The location will be announce once determined.
Advising Department: Chaplain’s Office
QTBIPOC (Queer and Trans* Black Indigenous People of Color)
The mission of QTBIPOC serves to provide & protect a community space that centers the intersections of race, gender and sexuality. These intersections are not limited by but include: lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, asexual, intersex, non-binary, and allied students of color at Carleton College.
The space serves as a safe, inclusive living space for LGBTQIA+ students of color, and offers outreach in the form of social programming to build cohesion in the larger community of the college. These activities and dialogues are intended to promote understanding of the intersections between race, socioeconomic disparity, and LGBTQIA+ issues to affirm the needs and experiences of QTBIPOC students at Carleton.
Starting Fall 2025, the GSC Houses will relocate to the new residential building near 2nd Street and Washington. More information will be shared soon.
Advising Department: Gender and Sexuality Center
Rainbow
Rainbow strives to be an inclusive and expansive space for LGBTQIA+ community building. Rainbow is a space for anyone from LGBTQIA+ communities at Carleton who has an interest in living in a space that affirms each person’s unique journey with gender & sexuality and serves as a hub for broader LGBTQIA+ community engagement.
Starting Fall 2025, the GSC Houses will relocate to the new residential building near 2nd Street and Washington. More information will be shared soon.
Advising Department: Gender & Sexuality Center
Science Fiction Interest House
The members of Science Fiction Interest House imaginatively explore the possibilities of humanity. The space offers a variety of activities such as book discussions, craft projects and movie nights.
W.H.O.A.
The Wellstone House of Organizing and Activism (WHOA) is a community of students with a diverse set of experiences in areas of political or social justice organizing who seek to support and foster the growth of organizing and activism on Carleton’s campus. Our house acts both as a resource center and hub for students who wish to explore their interest in activism. WHOA additionally works to facilitate learning, community building, and awareness of social change and how to take action. The house is advised by the Center for Community and Civic Engagement (CCCE). A student worker, the House Program Manager, works for the CCCE and organizes regular educational and community-building programming.
Advising Department: Center for Community and Civic Engagement