Program House Spotlight: Ecology House
By Kelly Kuehn, Student and Campus Life
Ecology House, also known as Eco House, is a Program House located on North Campus where students interested in different elements of environmentalism build an eco-conscious community.
Tiernan Weeden ’25 is one of the nearly 90 students who call Eco House their home at Cornell. He’s been a Resident Advisor (RA) in the space for three years and is grateful for the tight-knit community.
“I found a welcoming, calm environment recovering from COVID restrictions my second year,” said Weeden. “We have built that community steadily, and I have eagerly come back each year to continue the work. It’s been extremely fulfilling to see Eco liven up and regain its identity, and it’s rewarding to take an active part in that effort.”
A key way residents create that sense of community is by hosting and attending events within Eco House, many of which take place in the fireside lounge. These programs include ice cream nights on Wednesdays, where the community connects over a tasty treat. It’s also a space where residents get together to study, play video games, watch movies, and chat about life on the Hill.
“It’s the place where I build the most relationships and am reminded of how much this community means to me,” said Weeden.
That openness to connect over ice cream or environmental causes helps the community in Eco House thrive. Hannah Pryor ’26 has lived there since her first year at Cornell and keeps coming back because of the connections she’s made and how easy it is to collaborate with students who share similar interests.
“If you're into anything in nature, whether environmental science, plants, insects, reptiles and amphibians, or birds, you will find people here who share that interest,” said Pryor. “That is pretty special to have in a residential space.”
Many students feel a special connection to Eco House, like Lani Lin-Kissick ’28. It’s her first year living in Ecology House, but she’s already inspired to roll up her sleeves and get involved in the community. She currently serves as the space’s Program Director, leading efforts to craft programming that brings residents together and supports eco initiatives. More than a dozen programs are planned for spring.
“I hope that eco action continues to be emphasized in the house and the residential staff and students work to embody the Eco values in all aspects of their lives,” said Lin-Kissick.
While a passion for, or a desire to learn more about, different aspects of environmentalism draws students to this Program House, the tight-knit community and resources keep them coming back. For Weeden, Eco is a space to decompress and shrug off the weight of central campus and the academic rigor he associates with it.
“Eco’s amenities give me private space before I join the masses of students heading to class, and provides me with the quiet I need to think clearly,” said Weeden.
While you don’t have to study an eco-related major to live in Eco House, it’s common for residents to pursue similar tracks and share classes with their peers.
“It makes working together on assignments and studying for exams a whole lot better, and Eco has great spaces for that, too,” said Pryor. “I have invited people who live elsewhere over here to study before because the study lounges here are so nice.”
Pryor, Weeden, and Lin-Kissick have all grown as individuals and forged their own paths at Cornell since living in Eco House. A community connection in Eco House helped Pryor start working as an instructor at Cornell Outdoor Education during her first year on campus, which has helped her grow as a leader and teacher in addition to learning new skills like rock climbing. She also gained a trusted inner circle of friends — an invaluable perk she’s grateful for each day.
“Some of the friends I made here in my first year are my closest friends still, and those friendships are the best thing I have gotten from living in Eco House by far,” said Pryor.
Lin-Kissick has taken her action-driven mindset into other areas on campus, from writing conservation and climate resolutions on the Student Assembly Environmental Committee to engaging in social activism in various bodies.
“I have found that I really enjoy activism and policy work, so I plan on studying data science in undergrad on the pre-law track to work in comprehensive international sustainable development in the future,” said Lin-Kissick.
And for Weeden, the lessons he’s learned and the people he’s known in Eco House have ignited new interests and helped shape his post-Cornell path.
“I have discovered a passion for food security, community gardening, and radical ways of improving communities in the name of sustainability that I had no awareness of prior to living in Eco,” said Weeden. “Being here gives me a greater appreciation for service that has informed my professional track towards nursing and hospital administration. I think less and less of myself as an individual and more as a part of a greater whole.”
If you have questions about the Program Houses at Cornell, contact the Housing Office at housing@cornell.edu or call 607-255-5368.