House on the Hill

“Everyone who is here belongs here just because they are here, and for no other reason. This is our rule. It depends on nothing else. Nothing changes it.”

This House Inclusion Philosophy guides one of the top answers when asked what makes Graceland University unique…and it’s not easy to explain, but easy to understand.

At Graceland, inclusivity and belonging aren’t a metaphorical slogan, they’re a physical house. All incoming students can choose to participate in this residential model. It combines the sense of security of dorm life with actively lived student government. An instant small community for first-year students as they learn to navigate college, “their” house becomes a home they can identify with and always fall back on, through graduation and beyond.

Although each house has its distinct house-ness and develops its own quirky reputation over time (be it over four years or over decades and generations), they all share the commitment to belonging, purpose, making it fun, and having a voice in building an inclusive campus community.

This house system grew historically starting from the early 1960s when the always trailblazing Graceland decided to move away from the exclusive social clubs that were so 1950s. Now, the house setting creates a support system that has a noticeable impact on academic and athletic student success on and off campus (nicknamed ‘the Hill’).

To make sure that “their” house contributes to this student success, the House Presidents (HPs) take on an important leadership role that they, too, can develop at Graceland and build on after graduation. In their own words as they prepare the next house or house council (HoCo) meeting, here is what they want the houses to stand for this year:

A safe space to grow

“A typical house meeting is a group activity that involves teamwork, connections, and communication, allowing individuals to try new things. Setting the house culture is very important to me. I want to see Aponivi grow into exceptional women who care, love, and see everyone equally for who they are, and praise all women for whom they choose to be and what they have to offer in any setting.”

Hannah Kling ’27
Majors*: Forensic Psychology, Criminal Justice, Psychology
House: Aponivi

***
A place to stay connected through the busy days

“Khiyah creates a support system for student success by always supporting, uplifting, and celebrating each other. We are all involved in so many different activities at Graceland, whether it’s academics, athletics, or other extracurriculars, so it’s very important that we can rely on each other for support. As a house, it can be difficult to make time for house activities since we are all so busy, but we do our best to consistently connect with each other on our hall, at meals, and through weekly house meetings. Typical house meetings are energetic and active, which gives us a chance to just have fun together.”

Nicole Sherer ’27
Majors: English, History (with minors in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, and Critical Race and Ethnic Studies)
House: Khiyah

***
Always open doors…and snacks!

I try to leave my door open all day so guys can come in to relax. I also organize occasional trips to eat out together, or a Walmart run. One challenge I have faced has been getting people to attend house meetings or other events. I overcame that by seeing what the guys are interested in, and including food as well. We keep people going and moving with physical activities such as nerf war, hide and seek, and sports competitions.”

Moses Ridley ’27
Major: Allied Health
House: Powell

***
Communications training grounds

“Our house creates a support system that’s based on openness. We listen to each other and always give each other that space to be open and honest with one another. The main challenge I’ve faced is getting people to be active, so now I personally go door-to-door to rally people rather than just texting. A typical house meeting starts with me and the HoCo going over future events, and then I talk about things that have been going on with the hall. After that, we go and do something together as a house.”

Cam Edwards ’27
Major: Business Management
House: Stewart Manor

***
A supportive network

“Our house creates an environment where students have a network of support behind them, so they feel empowered to do good in life.”

Reagan Altman ’27
Majors: Chemistry, Biology
House: Solah

***
A siblinghood of encouragement

“Agape is a brotherhood filled with connections that will last a lifetime. Everyone supports each other and we all look out for one another. We have had some conduct and other issues on Agape, but we’re working as a hall to be better together! A typical house meeting starts with everyone calling out to gather people and encourage everyone to come join. We then go over announcements as hype music is playing in the background, then we start our activity.”

Luis Garcia ’27
Majors: Sport Management, Computer Science & Information Technology
House: Agape

***
Living and laughing together

“We create a support system at our house by interacting with each other every day. We all live together on one residence hall, and that makes ways for us to connect and communicate with each other. With that, a lot of them have been hanging out with each other and even play sports together, bringing that sense of family and belonging to the hall.”

Kaeden Monday ’26
Major: History
House: Closson

***
Seizing the advantages of diversity

“I like how our houses give a sense of support, like a group of friends. There is always someone willing to talk or help, or knows someone who can help. HPs and HoCo are so inviting and helpful, and I think it helps to have people who have gone through some of same things that can give advice. As a house, we face any challenge that we come across with an open mind. We really focus on being inclusive and kind to one another, not judging based on the thoughts that others have. Being a diverse house comes with a plethora of advantages that we kindly use to our advantage! House meetings vary week to week for us. Some house meetings are more chill, while others are more engaging. I believe that this keeps the girls motivated to show up and hang out with each other.”

Aubrey Hansen ’27
Majors: Biology, Chemistry with a concentration in molecular and biochemistry
House: Hanthorne

***
Your personal cheerleaders

“At Paloma, we’re all about showing up for each other at games, concerts, art shows, and more. Our house meetings usually start with HoCo announcements, and then each week we do something fun everyone can enjoy. We love playing games, doing crafts, and just hanging out together.”

Sierra Lantz ’27
Major: Elementary Education
House: Paloma

***
Friendly competition

“Sariah creates a culture of togetherness by accepting everyone. This culture enables a support system that lets each of our Sailors know we are there for them. We are always supporting our Sailors in their sports, extracurriculars, studies, and hobbies! A typical Sariah house meeting is very interactive: we go through an agenda where we discuss announcements for the week, and have activities planned out that each Sailor can join in on. For example: one of our house meetings is planned with our brother hall Faunce and we will be playing Mafia with them, or for our first house meeting, we met with our sister hall Shalom and played relay games! This reinforces our culture at Sariah, but also with other students around campus.”

Allie Henry ’27
Major: Biology, Chemistry with a concentration in molecular biochemistry (with honors)
House: Sariah

***
Turning great moments into lasting memories

“I love having a house like Shalom because I’m always surrounded with my best friends and a supportive community. They always find a way to make me laugh, and genuinely want the best for each other. Typically, our house meetings consist of jokes, and moments that become memories. It’s hard to describe briefly what goes on at Shalom house meeting, because every Tuesday is a new and completely different adventure!”

Cadence Sires ’27
Major: Digital Content Creation
House: Shalom

***
Passion and compassion live here

“Tiona stands for living with passion, and being compassionate for others. I also want people to experience the benefits of getting out of their comfort zones.”

Zion Trimboli ’26
Major*: Psychology
House: Tiona

*In addition to their chosen major(s), all students major in another unique Graceland advantage:
Transformational Leadership!