Community Life
At Pres House Apartments, fostering a tight-knit community is one of our top priorities. We regularly host activities that bring residents together for connection, growth, and lots of free food. On average, 95% of residents participate in community activities, even if it’s just stopping by our snack table during finals!
Stay in the loop via Weekly News emails, bulletin boards and flyers, and the calendar at the bottom of this page. Follow us on Instagram @phapartments (we love getting tagged in photos and stories!) and like us on Facebook @ph.apartments.
Jump to: Resident Wellness & Support. Event Calendar.
Weekly PHamily Dinners
Weekly PHamily Dinners
At PHamily Dinner, the entire Pres House PHamily comes together to share a free, home-cooked meal prepared by Chef Mary! When you arrive at PHamily Dinner, you’ll stop at the check-in table, where our host will give you the week’s menu (here’s an example) and assign you to a table. We invite you to use the conversation prompts on the menu to get to know the folks you’re sitting with on a deeper level.
This is a PHamily meal, so when we finish dessert, everyone pitches in to help clean up: washing dishes, wiping down tables, boxing up leftover food, etc. There’s a role for everyone — many hands make light work! Come to see old friends, make new friends, and enjoy delicious food! RSVP HERE by 3 pm on Monday.
Weekly Tea & Coffee
Weekly Tea & Coffee
Ever miss after-school snacks? We sure do. That’s why we created Communi-Tea, a weekly gathering featuring free snacks, beverages, and conversation with your fellow residents and staff. We love getting to know your names and faces, and giving you a little extra fuel for studying. Drop by for just a moment, bring classwork, or just relax for a well-earned midweek break!
We also host a weekly morning Bagels & Coffee hour every other Friday.
Communi-Tea is 2:30-4pm every other Tuesday in the Main Lounge.
Bagels & Coffee is 10-11am every other Friday in the Main Lounge.
Seasonal Dinners & Events
Seasonal Dinners & Events
A year at PH wouldn’t be complete without extra celebration. At the start of September, we host a Welcome Dinner open to everyone with food, games, and raffle prizes. Other annual occasions have included a pumpkin carving party for Halloween, winter holiday parties, Lunar New Year, and more. These evolve as staff try new ideas and resident Micro-Communities design events of their own. Finally, make sure to stop by our Finals Hospitality snack table in December and May, every day of final exams at UW!
By Residents, For Residents
By Residents, For Residents
Step aside, staff members: some of our best events each year are hosted by residents! Our Micro-Community scholarship groups regularly host activities open to the building, and all residents are welcome to run ideas by us.
Past successes have included game nights, service projects, photography contests, holiday parties, dances – you name it, and we’ll help you bring it to life.
Resident Wellness & Support
In addition to new memories and fun connections, Pres House offers an unparalleled focus on our residents’ well-being. We are here for you in many ways: conversations with our staff members, access to resources and campus partners, programming and activities specifically geared towards your health. Read more in the sections below.
Did you know PH Apartments has two full-time staff dedicated to supporting residents and building community life? And that’s in addition to our excellent leasing staff. Allyson and Manato host many of the events described above, coordinate the scholarship programs, and foster resident wellness however possible. Struggling with a roommate or family member? Having difficulty adjusting to life in college? Both Allyson and Manato provide friendly, knowledgeable, and safe environments to talk through these and any issues you may face.
We always enjoy meeting and connecting with residents. Feel free to knock on our doors, say hi over Tea or Dinner, or email us! You can find Allyson’s office at the end of the 6th floor hallway, and Manato’s on the 2nd floor.
Who cleans the fridge? Who buys toilet paper? How do you manage noise levels, guests, or apartment temperature?
We encourage all our residents to talk about these essential topics at the start of each year. Pres House provides an optional Roommate Agreement tool, containing prompts to help roommates set expectations for happy, relaxed shared living spaces.
Candid is a wellness initiative at UW-Madison, run by Pres House and open to all students. Our residents are uniquely situated to take advantage of Candid’s resources and prioritize your own well-being amidst the stresses of daily life. Among your options, you may join a supportive peer group in Candid Circles, receive health and life coaching from Ginger Morgan, keep an eye out for special events and workshops, access a wide variety of reflections, advice, and activities on the Candid blog, and save money through Candid Corps, a wellness scholarship program just for residents.
Candid wellness is self-directed, but not alone. You set the goals; Candid connects you to community and support.
We should start by answering a frequently asked question: do I need to be religious or a member of Pres House Church to live at Pres House Apartments?
The answer is no. Not only do you NOT need to be a member of Pres House Church to live at Pres House Apartments, you do not need to have any religious affiliation. We are open and welcoming to residents of any religious background or none at all. PH Apartments is owned by the non-profit Presbyterian Student Center Foundation (Pres House), which works to support student and resident well-being.
If you are looking for a welcoming spiritual community next door, Pres House Church has lots to offer including Sunday worship, weekly groups, playing in music team, and special events.
The UW Frozen Meals Program exists to fight campus food insecurity and food waste. Unserved food from UW Dining Services is frozen into individual, microwaveable meals that are free for all students and offer a wide variety of nutritious cuisine.
Pres House is proud to serve as one of the UWFMP distribution sites. All our residents are invited to visit Lower Hall (downstairs, also accessible through Pres House Church) to take advantage of this partnership.
Fall 2025 meal pickup times (starting mid-Sept): Mondays 6-7pm, Thursdays 3:00-5:00 PM. For timely updates, see the UWFMP Facebook and Instagram.
Want to help run the program while earning easy volunteer hours? Sign up for shifts here!
With our indoor herb garden, exercise room, and healthy food events, Pres House Apartments provides many opportunities for residents to enrich their physical well-being. Check out our Pres House Cookbook, with healthy, delicious recipes shared by residents, for residents. The Cookbook project was made possible thanks to our Mad-Foodies Micro-Community Scholarship group. You can contribute to this ever-growing cookbook by sending a photo and detailed recipe to manato@preshouse.org!
Residents can enjoy free, weekly Taekwondo classes at Pres House (731 State St, 2nd floor), on Mondays and Thursdays at 5-6:30pm!
Tae Kwon Do is a Korean martial art, which requires the use of hands and feet without weapons.
The ultimate goal of Tae Kwon Do is Shim-Shin Talyune – to achieve total mind and body unity.
Monday classes are led by Executive Director Erica Liu! Thursday classes are led by Master Jack Nitschke.
Click here for more information and registration.
Curious to hear what students’ experiences are? Check out this video of students Kevin and Sam.