The Martha Rivers Ingram Commons

One distinctive element of the Vanderbilt experience is The Martha Rivers Ingram Commons. Here, first-year students transition from high school into a diverse living and learning community of peers and faculty.

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⭐ Residential Experience

About Vanderbilt's Residential Colleges

Residential Colleges

Education has never been limited to the classroom. Intentional communities comprised of students and faculty finds its roots in the Oxford-Cambridge model founded in England. From the very beginnings of collegiate life, faculty and students lived in collaborative learning environments and worked together to transform their institutions and their communities.

Vanderbilt University emulates this tradition, explicitly connecting students and professors as they forge learning experiences together. Undergraduate student life at Vanderbilt is distinct, due in part to the unique structure of its residential college system, which fosters partnerships between communities of students and a live-in member of the faculty.

The program is comprised of various living communities that students encounter throughout their undergraduate experience. All students reside on The Martha Rivers Ingram Commons during their first year and may apply to transition to another college (Warren, Moore, E. Bronson Ingram, Nicholas S. Zeppos College) for sophomore year and beyond. By participating in the residential college system, students will get to know other students, faculty, and staff closely and become more connected and involved in their residential community and in the broader Vanderbilt community.

Beyond a traditional dormitory, these spaces, each with unique personalities, amenities, and programs, act as a home away from home for residents. Each individual house or college is led by a faculty member who is there to help students explore and pursue their personal, educational, and career goals.

First-Year Experience

The Martha Rivers Ingram Commons is composed of ten houses designed exclusively for first-year students and their faculty heads of house, a dining center, seminar/study rooms, generous public spaces, and endless opportunities for engagement, enrichment, and leadership. Warren College, Moore College, and E. Bronson Ingram College extend the residential college experience through sophomore, junior, and senior years.

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