From the "door-closers" of Kings Court/English House to a Ware College House faculty fellow who sings about sexually transmitted diseases, a student's video series shows the highlights of Penn's college houses.
Engineering sophomore Tal Raviv was commissioned by College Houses and Academic Services officials to make videos -- called Quakers Gone Wild: An Insider's View -- that try to capture each house's personality.
They were designed to give freshmen the information they need to choose their future home.
The videos went up on CHAS's Web site last week.
Raviv got the job by submitting a funny picture of himself and his roommate to House magazine, a publication for the college houses.
CHAS spokeswoman Sue Smith saw his picture and recognized him from a video he made in Hill College House last year. She asked if he was interested in making videos to promote the college houses, and Quakers Gone Wild was born.
What Raviv found may surprise even some current residents.
In Kings Court/English College House, Raviv found that the worst insult a person can be called is a "door-closer," someone who doesn't keep the room open for visitors.
Small college houses, like Gregory and Stouffer, form an especially strong community, he said he discovered through his work.
"I really liked Stouffer. ... It really reminded me of a summer camp because people there are very tight-knit," Raviv said.
In the video about Ware, Helen Davies -- a professor in the School of Medicine who runs the Infectious Diseases residential program -- croons for the camera about STDs.
For DuBois College House, Raviv chose to feature the diversity of its residents. People of almost every race live there, he said, a fact that residents take pride in.
According to Raviv, the rumors circulated about each college house are far from the whole truth.
"The stereotypes of houses are always more negative," he said.
Raviv, who is currently taking a leave of absence, spent more than the first two months of the semester making the videos.
Some viewers found the videos to be both humorous and informative.
"I thought he did a great job -- he used his sense of style and humor," Hamilton College House Dean Ken Grcich said.
Caughton film The videos highlight traits of the college houses - DuBois: Racial diversity - Ware: A faculty fellow who sings about STDs - Stouffer: Tight-knit community
