WILLARD RESIDENTIAL COLLEGE

'Willard Residential College'
'Type'	Residential college
'Established'	1938
'President'	Stuart Anderson
'Enrollment'	approx. 300
'Location'	1865 Sherman Ave Evanston IL 60201

'Willard Residential College' is a residential college at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois known for its strong spirit of community and unique traditions including Willard Formal, Polka Party, Woo-au Luau and the notorious Frances Willard Party.

Contents

History

Traditions

Gallery

Notable alumni

External links

Notes

History

It was built as an all-female dormitory in 1938. The dorm was originally named "Willard Hall," after Frances Willard, a women's suffragist and leader in the temperance movement who served as Northwestern's first dean of women. Willard Hall was renamed "Willard Residential College" in 1972 when the dorm became a part of Northwestern's Residential College program and became the first co-ed housing on campus.
Willard has traditionally had a friendly rivalry with Shepard Residential College and the neighboring Evans Scholars.
For years, Willard Residential College was notorious for the "Frances Willard Party" that would take place every year in the fall on Frances Willard's birthday. The party would traditionally begin with people traveling from room to room and progressively climbing up Willard's five floors drinking heavily along the way. One's success would be measured if one could successfully reach the 5th floor without passing out along the way. However, following the 2002 Frances Willard Party, the University deemed the party too unsafe and banned Willard Residential College from ever having the party again.

Traditions

Currently, Willard celebrates several long-standing college traditions. This includes the swanky Willard Formal, a black-tie party thrown annually by the hall government at a surprise location. Past formal locations include the Shedd Aquarium and the Sears Tower. The Willard Polka Party is held during winter quarter at a beer garden in Chicago, where residents dress in wild costumes and dance the polka. The Woo-Au Luau is held the Monday after Northwestern's infamous Dillo Day, and traditionally includes a barbecue, music and the yearly pudding-wrestling contest.
Willard also competes with Shephard Residential College each spring in the Woo-Shep Olympics.

Gallery

Notable alumni

★ Shelley Long

★ Julia Louis-Dreyfus (room 430)

★ J.P. Manoux

★ Seth Meyers

★ Jeanne Sparrow

★ David Schwimmer (room 428)

★ Nicole Sullivan

★ Dave Revsine

★ Richard Penniston

★ Stephen Colbert ^[1]

External links

★ Official Website

★ Official Description

★ Alumni Photographs

Notes

1. Stephen Colbert: The College Years Darel Jevens