Houses of SIS

SIS Houses exist to create community, engagement, and belonging for our students. At SIS, we KNOW that  “you can change the world AND have fun doing it.” SIS Houses help students gather around thematic interests, access people and activities that explore those themes, and incur NO additional academic requirements or obligations. SIS Legacy House is hosted by SIS Career Services and is our multi-generational house—for both undergraduate and graduate students—organized around the broader theme of “Global Leadership, Global Community.” We have alumni eagerly awaiting to become “House Fellows” to share wisdom and to help mobilize connections to our worldwide alumni.  

Benefits of joining: you’ll more easily find your people. And we think you’ll build lifelong connections with a diversity of folks that you may not otherwise have known are “your people" but for the chance to connect at SIS over shared passions.

What do houses do? You’ll find—and co-create—engaging events and activities. We’re not talking about typical panel discussions. A House event might include watching a popular Netflix show and critiquing what it gets wrong (or right!) about diplomacy, having a discussion at the Davenport Coffee Lounge about the ways in the which the current Star Wars shows reflect realities of post-conflict societies, or attending special behind-the-scenes embassy events. Note: Fall 2023 members will help build the Houses into the future: you will be part of deciding on permanent names and creating logos!

At SIS, students arrive here ready to immerse yourselves in international studies and global events. No one needs to wait to get into advanced-level classes or decide on a specific focus or career track to join a house and start exploring and finding your home. Joining a house is a quick, low-stakes way to level up your SIS involvement. Read more about the different houses and then make your pick! 

Sign Up for a House

Interested in joining or hearing more about one (or more) of the houses below? Sign up today!

Sign Up

Environment, Development & Health House

Welcome to the EDH House

Join our (temporarily known as) EDH House, where we foster a dynamic community dedicated to exploring critical topics at the intersection of environment, development, and health. From thought-provoking panel discussions featuring international organizations, think tanks, and local experts to hands-on experiences at Airlie Farm and networking opportunities with alumni, we provide a platform for students passionate about making a positive impact on the world.

  • Tour and lunch at Airlie Farms on November 3 for undergraduate and graduate students

 

Meet Our Team

Faculty Advisor

Student Advisor

Tia El Masry

I wanted to be an SIS House student advisor to help with building a community in SIS.

Politics, Governance & Economics House

Welcome to the PGE House

Join our dynamic (temporarily known as) PGE community to decode Money, Politics, and Power. Let's transform knowledge into action while having a blast along the way!

  • Martha's Table will host a group of volunteers on its distribution program aimed at addressing food inequality in parts of DC.

  • Poker Night, with both an experienced and amateurs table, featuring a top poker player to teach us all about odds and economic trade-offs of poker.

  • Movie Night for the just released film about the Gamestop saga, "Dumb Money."

 

Meet Our Team

Faculty Advisor

Student Advisor

Sophia Hamilton

I wanted to be an SIS House student advisor to assist and guide students.

Peace, Human Rights & Cultural Relations House

Welcome to the PHRCR House

This house (temporarily known as the PHRCR House) hopes to provide a fun, safe, and supportive community that facilitates positive interaction among students within the Peace, Global Security, and Conflict Resolution, Justice, Ethics, and Human Rights, and Identity, Race, Gender, and Culture gateways and with others. Our mission is to create a safe and fun environment within which our members can get to know each other and other SIS students, and share in fun events that are a nice break from their day-to-day classes and other academic activities.

  • Comedies around the world: a series highlighting some comedy movies from outside the US! We will provide popcorn for it too, so all you have to do is show up and watch some fun movies with new friends!

 

Meet Our Team

Faculty Advisor

Student Advisor

Fátima García González

My interest in SIS started a long time ago, and it will undoubtedly never die. Hopefully, I can share that passion with other students at AU.

Foreign Policy & Global Security House

Welcome to the FPGS House

The House of Foreign Policy & Global Security, temporarily known as FPGS House, aims to foster a community of students who are interested in international policy and security challenges. Students in the FPGS House are excited by thinking and talking about geopolitical competition and modalities of international cooperation, as well as the dynamics of peace, war, conflict, and political violence.

Faculty in the Department of Foreign Policy and Global Security includes a number of former Ambassadors, Academics focused on bridging the gap between scholars and policy makers, and authors of influential books. A key aim of the House is to strengthen connections between faculty, graduate students and undergraduates.

  • October 4: students gathered for a preliminary event to watch Stanley Kubrick's seminal 1964 satire, "Dr. Strangelove: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb." This then led into a faculty-led conversation about the evolution of nuclear strategy
  • Roundtable discussions and debates on current foreign policy challenges, book talks, career opportunities, and strategic game nights
  • Movie Watch Parties
  • Watch party" for an episode of Netflix's The Diplomat with some real-life diplomats to discuss scenes that resonate---and moments where Hollywood gets diplomacy wrong

 

Meet Our Team

Faculty Advisor

Student Advisor

David Brostoff

As an SIS House student advisor, I hope to foster engaging discussions.

Global Inquiry House

Welcome to the DGI House

The (temporarily known as) Department of Global Inquiry House seeks to provide an intellectual, social, and inclusive space for students to share and reflect on questions beyond individual issue areas in world politics. To this end, we hope an initial theme of pop culture will foster curiosity and conversation.

  • House Welcoming with refreshments--we'll gather ideas for events!
  • Discussions at the Dav, which will be a space to converse about how to think about diverse perspectives related to world politics.

 

Meet Our Team

Faculty Advisor

Jason Rancatore Professorial Lecturer SIS | Global Inquiry

Student Advisor

Emma Grubb

I am motivated by a sense of curiosity for how we think and understand the world around us and am eager to participate in and foster a space where likeminded students ask questions and share in the spirit of inquiry.

Legacy House

Welcome to the Legacy House

At Legacy House, we are committed to building a legacy of future global leaders through sharing first-hand stories from each other, alumni who came before us, and other transformative leaders in the  global community.  We seek to expand the reach of SIS beyond the walls of campus and to embody what it means to be and represent the School of International Service.  Our work blends global knowledge with art, storytelling, fashion, music & dance, food, and cultural artifacts. 

  • October:
    Express Yourself Without Walls. Come join us for collaging, cookies, and conversation at the "Logo competition" interest meeting. This is open to any AU Student.

  • November:
    Luxury & Leisure: Empowering Leaders through Fashion. Conversation with CAS professor Shoji Malone. A few House members will model different professional looks for the future of work culture in collaboration with Professor Malone.

  • December:
    "We in the House": Music, Mocktails, and Mozzarella. A housewarming event to welcome new Legacy House Members and encourage prospective members to build deeper connections and community.

  • Tiramisu Holiday Party (tbd)

 

Meet Our Team

Faculty Advisor

Student Advisor

Johneé Wilson

I am involved in the SIS Legacy House as a student advisor because legacy creation and preservation through global leadership and storytelling is valuable to our institution.