Wheaton College is known for its campus, community, and academics. One of the most defining characteristics of this institution is its long lasting tradition of “theme houses,” dedicated to fostering a connection amongst the students who live both on and off campus through a certain theme or goal. This tradition, which has taken place at Wheaton for over 20 years, has given students the chance to not only forge new relationships, but it has also given them the opportunity to come together for a common purpose. As of this year, the Wheaton College campus features 16 unique theme houses.
The Hungry Lyons House.
In recent years, some of these houses have faced some unexpected and overwhelming challenges. This semester, members of Wheaton’s Hungry Lyons theme house faced a major upset and disruption to their community life. Over the summer, the college announced that their house was no longer structurally safe for them to operate and live in, forcing the group into emergency rehousing. For many, the news came as a huge shock especially for the leaders of this enthusiastic house.
The Hungry Lyons logo.
Abby Breitenbach ’26, co-president and long lasting member of Hungry Lyons, expressed her own insights on this distressing news. “This recent news has definitely affected me personally because I haven’t lived in a dorm since my freshman year here,” she explained. “Going from a house back to a dorm has been a very tricky transition,” she said. “It has really impacted my sense of community because my housemates and I are very, very close.” As a Co-President, Breitenbach explained how this shift has impacted her role as a member of the house personally, while also touching upon how it has affected her as an administrator and leader. “For my position as Co-President, this has definitely impacted how much work goes into the job. Being a Co-President in the house means being able to navigate the events side of things while also managing the personal aspects as well… without a house, this has become increasingly difficult.” Despite these setbacks, Breitenbach, along with other members of the house have been able to maintain the mission of the house by planning events and continuing to be united.
According to reports, the house first began having its major issues when the foundational beam that held up the kitchen broke free from underneath the house during one of the Hungry Lyons house gatherings. “This actually caused the entire house to shift… it was so terrifying for all of us involved,” Breitenbach explained.