Purdue Cooperative Housing Offers Unique, Affordable and Supportive Campus Living
In addition to fraternities, sororities, residence halls and apartments, Purdue students have a very unique living opportunity on campus – Purdue Cooperative Housing. The Purdue Cooperative System consists of seven women’s houses and four men’s houses, which have been part of the Purdue community for over 75 years! These houses range from 14 to 60 members and require each member to complete 2 to 4 hours of house duties each week. They offer students the opportunities to “live, learn, socialize and lead together.”
Many agricultural economics students have used their strong leadership backgrounds to guide these houses and the Purdue Cooperative Council (PCC), the governing board of the cooperative system.
2023-2024 PCC President Sydney Hefty (Auburn, IN; May 2025 graduate) pledged Twin Pines as a freshman, where she served her house as Alumni Chair and Parliamentarian before serving PCC as Vice President during her sophomore year. Her favorite memory was when her Pledge Class (2021) won the New Member Talent Show (Serenades). She reflected on her tenure, “I enjoyed meeting and learning from all of the other cooperative members on Purdue’s campus. I’m proud of my executive board for starting new scholarships and recruitment initiatives.”
Another Twin Pines member, Erica McWhirt (Frankfort, IN; Junior), is serving as the 2024-25 PCC Vice President of Finance. She has also served her house as Meal Planner, Apparel Chair, House Manager, Health & Safety Coordinator and Cooperative Relations. Erica shared, “One of my favorite memories of living in a co-op is having a semester sisterhood. This past semester, we went to an escape room where we all had to be able to problem-solve and help each other escape! Afterward, we came home, created bouquets for another sister and wrote a heartfelt letter. It is amazing to know that I have 28 other girls who see me as family!”
2024-25 PCC Executive Director of Scholarship Laci McGinnis (Portland, IN; Sophomore) is also the current President of Shoemaker. She has also served as Academic Chair, Alumni Chair, Social Chair and Food Purchaser. Laci summarized her experience, “Moving to campus and automatically having 38 other people that are going through the same season of life has been so encouraging and made the transition much easier. Not only are cooperatives the most affordable housing option on campus, but we also strive to provide academic support, leadership opportunities, opportunities to grow as a young adult and, most importantly, a place to call home.”
2024-25 PCC Risk Assessor Tessa Robertson (Reynolds, IN; Sophomore) has also served Glenwood as Food Purchaser, Risk Manager, Historian and New Member Educator for Pledge Class 2025! This statement reveals her enthusiasm for cooperative living: “Living in a co-op is the best decision I’ve ever made! Yes, it’s the most affordable housing on campus, but even if it weren’t, I would still choose to live in a co-op every day. We get to cook our own meals and learn about responsibility and initiative while also getting to participate in the same events as the sororities and fraternities. I have met all of my best friends not only in Glenwood but also in other cooperatives.”
Isaiah Eisert (Goshen, IN; Junior), current President of Chauncey, has served as the 2023-24 PCC Assistant Vice President of Recruitment and his house as Purchasing Agent and House Manager. He pledged as a sophomore and offered the following advice, “One year in the dorm cost me more than what three years at Chauncey will while still getting 10 meals a week. The family atmosphere found in the house is something I cherish and will definitely miss when I leave for the summer. The skills you can build for life in dealing with a kitchen, cooking for dozens of people, repairing a house in a way you would never have at home, and managing 20 guys are all extremely valuable, too. Joining cooperatives is one of, if not the best, decision I have made at Purdue.”
To learn more about cooperative housing at Purdue, check out their website - https://www.purdue.edu/fscl/councils/cooperatives/houses.html