Atherton Hall
Atherton Hall is named after Frances Washburn Atherton, the wife of Penn State's seventh president, George Washington Atherton. Francis helped found what is today the State College Women's Club, which advocated successfully for the advancement in women being educated at Penn State through the establishment of a baccalaureate program in 1906.
Atherton Hall, built in 1939, is a classic traditional residence hall. Home to the Schreyer Honors College, Atherton Hall offers students an abundant amount of study and social spaces, including a recreation room with a kitchen, a computer lab, and music practice rooms. The building offers coed housing, and bedrooms feature flexible furniture that allows students to arrange their room in a number of different ways. While this is a classic traditional hall, the bathrooms have been renovated and offer multiple private, single-user bathrooms located on the floor that are shared by all residents. Atherton Hall is located in South Halls and near the White Building, HUB-Robeson Center, and is in close proximity to downtown State College.
Redifer Commons supports students living in South Halls.
Take a Virtual Room Tour
Discover your future home with this 360-degree photo of the residence hall room designed for residents. Explore the space, plan your college life, and find answers to your housing questions. We look forward to welcoming you to campus and starting your college journey!
Housing Area
Building Type
TraditionalRoom Types
Single, Double, Triple, QuadLiving Arrangements
First-Year Students, Gender Inclusive (First-Year), Gender Inclusive (Upperclass), Living Learning Community (LLC), Upperclass StudentsPopulation
Additional Information
The middle section of second floor of Atherton offers some unique rooms for upper-class students. During the summer 2025, several rooms will be modified with the removal of kitchenette areas, providing additional student living space in the room. Rooms 260, 268, 269, and 275 will be available as a quad (4 students in 1 large room).
Building Amenities
Room Furnishings
Room Decoration Guidelines
Students interested in hanging decorations in this hall should use this recommended material: wall-safe tape, poster putty, painter's tape. NO stick-on, removable wall paper. NO furniture modifications; nothing screwed or nailed into furniture.
Room Diagrams
Room diagrams are artistic renderings of representative rooms and may not reflect actual furniture or finishes.
Room & Furnishing Dimensions
| Item | Length | Width | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Room | 16' 5" | 12' | 8' |
| Bed | 85" | 39.5" | 4' (adjustable) |
| Mattress | 80" | 36" | 8" |
| Desk | 3' 8" | 2' | 6' 6" |
| Dresser* | 1' 6" | 1' 9" | 3' 8" |
| Refrigerator/Microwave | 1' 6" | 1' 7" | 44" |
| Closet | 1' 8" | 4' 2" | 7' 6" |
| Door | - | 2' 8" | 6' 7" |
| Window | - | 4' 2" | 4' 10" |
| Chairs | 1' 7" | 1' 6" | 2' 6" |
*inside the closet
Recommended rug size: double room 10' x 12' or single room 9' x 12'
Measurements are approximate. The dimensions, furnishings and color of rooms may vary in appearance. All closets have curtains.
Building Floor Plans
To view building floor plans, you must log in with your Penn State Access Account and password.
Living Learning Communities
LIBERAL ARTS PATERNO FELLOWS HOUSE
First-year students in the College of the Liberal Arts who are intending to become Paterno Fellows may select this LLC, where residents are committed to aspiring to the signature honors and leadership program. This program is offered in cooperation with the Schreyer Honors College. Students will enroll in suitable honors courses during their first year, seek academic excellence, and participate in the program's other offerings. Residents will enjoy cocurricular and extracurricular opportunities associated with the Paterno Fellows Program, as well as in-house offerings and mentoring activities that contribute to their social and academic success.
- Open to all first-year students in the College of the Liberal Arts who are self-selecting as Paterno Fellows aspirants. Students enrolled in the Division of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) with a serious interest in Liberal Arts and with a commitment of taking three to four honors courses in their first year at Penn State may also request this LLC with permission of program staff (email for permission).
Schreyer Honors College Living & Learning Environment
Located in close proximity to the administrative offices of Schreyer Honors College, this LLC supports Schreyer Scholars, providing them with a number of opportunities to participate in academic and social activities. All residents, whether or not they are Schreyer Scholars, have access to the computer labs and music practice rooms located in these residence halls. A $25.00 living-learning fee is charged each semester to all residents on their student account.
- Any student may request to live in this scholarly residential environment, but priority is given to first-year and returning Schreyer Scholars
Housing Room Rates
| Residence Hall | Room Type | Occupancy | Fall | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atherton Hall | Double | 2 | $4,039 | $4,039 |
| Atherton Hall | Single | 1 | $5,246 | $5,246 |
| Atherton Hall | Suite | 2 | $4,778 | $4,778 |
| Atherton Hall | Triple | 3 | $3,638 | $3,638 |
| Atherton Hall | Triple with bath | 3 | $3,921 | $3,921 |
| Residence Hall | Room Type | Occupancy | Fall | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atherton Hall | 2-Bedroom/4-Person | 4 | $4,639 | $4,639 |
| Atherton Hall | Double | 2 | $3,921 | $3,921 |
| Atherton Hall | Single | 1 | $5,093 | $5,093 |
| Atherton Hall | Triple | 3 | $3,532 | $3,532 |
| Atherton Hall | Triple with bath | 3 | $3,921 | $3,921 |
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