Bennion Service House

Each year twelve students who are driven to make significant service contributions to The University of Utah and the community are selected to reside in the Bennion Service House on historic Officers Circle. Residents gain unique opportunities to examine their own civic engagement in a living and learning community, while engaging in and promoting various community engagement experiences throughout the year. Residents seek ways to serve as catalysts for the Bennion Center’s mission of inspiring and mobilizing people to strengthen communities through learning, scholarship, and advocacy.

---

Bennion Service House residents work together to foster community and lifelong civic engagement among students living in the residence halls through action, dialogue, education, and outreach. The Service House residents promote an environment of support, respect, friendship, diversity, and learning within the Service House and the greater community. —Written by the Residents of the Service House in its 1st year, February 2005

---

The Bennion Center's priority application deadline for the Bennion Service House is:

Thursday, February 24th, 2022 @ 5:00 PM

Priority House interviews with a selection committee will take place on March 3rd and 4th. 

---

Please note that in addition to our priority application, applicants must apply through the Housing and Residential Education (HRE) process, which opens February 10th and closes on March 10th. When filling out the HRE's application, please indicate your interest in the Bennion Service House in the "Living and Learning" portion of the housing application.

Starting on February 10th, you can submit your application to HRE by clicking here!

---

 

Community Building: 

The Service House is a diverse community that includes twelve residents from a wide range of backgrounds and disciplines. Residents are expected to behave in a manner that is honest, respectful, courteous, and community-minded as this living environment and the community we engage in are diverse. Each resident is responsible for maintaining a personal attitude that fosters an atmosphere of community building.

---

GPA Requirement:

Cumulative 3.0. Students may seek special consideration for housing if they believe that the traditional academic measures do not represent their potential for academic success. For those who seek this exception please contact Bryce Williams at bryce.williams@utah.edu.

---

Monthly and Annual Events:

• Service House Dialogues: Residents are involved in planning each Service House Dialogue, which includes selecting and researching dialogue topics, collaborating with community and campus guest speakers, outreach, facilitation and general event planning. Attendance is required for all residents. Each resident will plan and facilitate one dialogue with a team. There are three dialogues in the academic year, held usually the third or fourth Thursday of the month from 6:30-8:30pm. Residents and panelists have dinner together from 5-6:30.

 

• Officers Hollow: Local children from Title I schools participate in a Halloween carnival and safe trick-or-treating event, hosted in collaboration with the College of Social Work. Residents participate by decorating the house and providing activities for the kids. The event takes place on a Saturday in October (3 to 4 hours in addition to prep work).

 

• Saturday Service Projects (SSP): Participation at each Bennion Center SSP is required of all residents. The SSP’s are held the third Saturday of the month (3 to 4 hours).Time and location vary each month. Special assignments may be given to residents.

 

• Monthly House Meeting: House meetings are typically held in the first Thursday of the month with the exception of August and January which would be the first Thursday in the semester.  House meetings will start at 5:00 PM. Residents must attend monthly house meetings.

 

• Cleaning Procedures: Residents are required to clean-up after themselves at all times, with a special focus on cleaning common areas and dishes.   

 

• Resident Group Photo: Scheduled early in the academic year. All residents are required to attend.

 

• BENN 2020: Residents who have not already taken the BENN 2020: Pathways to Community Engagement course will be required to enroll in this class either during the Fall or Spring semester.

 

• Office Hour: Residents will be expected to hold a regular weekly office hour at the Bennion Center. This hour will be used to work on house programming and becoming more familiar with the Bennion Center programs, offerings, and opportunities.

 

• Other BC Events: House Residents will be required to attend a minimum of 2 other Bennion Center events each semester outside of the regular Service House requirements.  These could be things such as leadership workshops, community conversations, or service corner events to name a few.

---