• Welcome to the House of General Science.

    Special Interest House
    Rochester Institute of Technology
    Residence Hall Colby B

  • We are RIT students with a love for science!

    Check out our awesome members here. We have a very active floor with a lot of events. You can learn more about the floor below.

  • A community like no other!

    HoGS is a housing community like no other you will see! We create life-long friendships through social, community service, and academic events.

  • Interested in becoming a member?

    Incoming students, please apply via your RIT housing contract. Current students, please reach out or come visit!

More About Us

Who Are We.


The House of General Science is a venerated social, academic, and professional organization dedicated to fostering its member’s love of science and science ­related fields. We have people from a wide variety of majors, not just the hard sciences and accept people from all majors. Some of the many subjects that our members study include engineering, physics, chemistry, biology, computer science, and graphic design. However, all of our members have one thing in common: a love of science, and that is what brings us all together. If you would like to talk to members and get to know more about the house, reach out to us on our social media or at hogspresident@gmail.com

Social

The social committee organizes a wide array of social events of various sizes. Our events encompass everything from sports such as basketball, to relaxing activities such as movie nights and game nights. Our community interacts with other Special Interest Houses through events including potlucks, trips to Lasertron (a local laser-tag facility), and other inter-SIH events on campus. Some of our larger events include: an annual apple-picking trip, biannual trips to Letchworth State Park, and War Pigs, of course, a game created by HoGS modelled after capture the flag. The social committee maintains an active environment in our community and gives members opportunities to hang out on a variety of scales.



Facilities

HoGS has a large variety of resources at the disposal of its members. Our social lounge includes a flat screen plasma TV, a nerf blaster arsenal, and a sink! Additionally, members will often provide their own appliances, such as tea kettles, to be used by the rest of the floor or host food nights in the lounge. HoGS Experimental Learning Lounge (H.E.L.L.) is equipped with a variety of tools available for all members to use in both academic and personal projects. There are numerous resources like tools and projects materials along with a 3-D printer for members to use. T-Lounge is equipped with a whiteboard, tables and couches for members and their friends to work together on projects. T-Lounge is also home to our textbook library, which includes both reference books and textbooks that can be borrowed for whole semesters. This library grows in size and variety every year. Additionally we have a storage closet on floor which holds projects, board games, additional nerf blasters, and other floor resources for ease of access.

Projects

The House of General Science has a long history of developing interesting and innovative projects to sate our desire to learn and create. We have a wide range of projects including: a radio telescope, a high voltage electrical harmonic system, a Larger than Life Piano, and many others. One of the biggest events of the year for HoGS is Imagine RIT, and we develop projects throughout the semester to display during the festival. We regularly bring numerous projects to the festival and work with College of Science to provide funds for our members projects. In addition, we attend events like the Rochester Maker Faire and the Brick City Science Fair throughout the year to display projects. We welcome project ideas from any field and are always excited to help develop them!

Community Service

The House of General Science is more than just a special interest house, it is a community. We fundraise for important causes as an entire floor and we have a ton of fun doing it. Every year our annual livestream for ExtraLife raises thousands of dollars for Golisano Children's Hospital. We participate as a team in the annual Mud-Tug event, where the proceeds are all donated to charity. Additionally, we have community service events throughout the semester to encourage members to give back to the community and help good causes. All of these events are designed to give back to the community, while bonding as a Special Interest House.

Some of Our Events.


The House of General Science parpicipates in many traditional and fun events that bring us together. Here are some highlights of some of our favorite events that happen every year!

Letchworth

Every year, HoGS visits Letchworth to enjoy food, nature, and socializing. It's a great way to get off campus and see some of the beautiful scenery of Upstate New York!

Applepicking

Since apples are universally loved, HoGS visits the local apple farm to have a good time and enjoy good quality apples, apple donuts, apple cider, and honey sticks.

Warpigs

A traditional HoGS event, we battle each other in a capture the flag style game across dormside with Nerf blasters. This event has also been used to raise money for charity.

HoGS Family Dinner

A common event in HoGS, family dinner brings all our members together to enjoy company and food. From the celebratory Gracie's Trains to the annexation of Salsarita's, HoGS Family Dinners are always a great way to spend time with one another and socialize!

Alchemy Night

To help familiarize new students with the offerings on campus, members are able use their dining dollars to buy a variety of items from dining locations on campus within a budget. Then they are challenged to mix them together to create the best-tasting creation!

HoGS Halloween Party

HoGS doesn't let a holiday go with out being celebrated! We have a costume contest, do pumpkin carving, enjoy food, and of course a Haunted House competition!

News.


The House of General Science is an active community. There are often new things going on at HoGS, and we strive to make our impact on the RIT student body heard. See what is coming up in the House!

HoGS Imagine Projects

HoGS Imagine Project

Every year, HoGS works on several projects for the Imagine festival, an annual RIT event where students and organizations come together to present the awesome projects they've made over the year. Last year, our projects included: the Larger-Than-Life Piano, Mission to the Moon, Space Program, Science Playground, and Chemistry Garden! Join us April 27, 2024 at the next Imagine RIT!

Our Executive Board.


Some of Our Members.


Testimonials From Our Members

  • "HoGS is a great way of meeting people with all different majors, backgrounds, and interests, while still having something in common - a love of the floor. I find it to be unique among clubs and SIHs at RIT that the members are not exclusively scientists or engineers or programmers, and this variety makes the experiences and bonds that are shared between the members only better."

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    Kenny Kim Sixth Year, University Exploration
  • "When I first entered college, the prospects of living in an unfamiliar setting with unfamiliar people terrified me.Being in HoGS, however, helped tremendously. There's a bunch of different majors here, yet we all share a common interest: science. This dichotomy between divergent backgrounds and common nerdiness enriches the floor and brings people together in ways not often seen."

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    Will Ebmeyer Fourth Year, Physics
  • "I was an on-floor HoGS member last year, and I miss it so much now that I’m living off-floor. Everybody’s so friendly and knowledgeable, and you’ll always find someone to help you or listen to you. 10/10, would recommend."

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    Elizabeth Axford Second Year, Biology
  • "I hear some people talk that their floor is generally quiet and calm with nothing going on. Here on HoGS, that's non-existent: there's someone doing something fun or interesting that everyone else can join in on almost every day. HoGS is probably the best decision I made regarding housing, and I am grateful."

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    Patrick Salts First Year, Computer Science
  • "Special Interest Housing is a very unique concept that you will not find at any other college. The House of General Science (HoGS) allows me to be surrounded by a bunch of nerds who are passionate about what they do, support me in what I do, and let me call them family. Joining HoGS has been the best decision I have ever made at college both socially and academically."

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    Cassy Smithies Fourth Year, New Media Design
  • "HoGS is like a dysfunctional, yet still functional family. We all come from different backgrounds, but when we are on floor, we are a big, happy, nerdy, family. If you ask someone for help with homework or even laundry, they are more than willing to help. In addition, most upperclassmen have taken the classes you have, so they can help. There are an infinite number of fantastic things to say about the House of General Science. It's the best part of my college experience."

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    Tyler Chinsky Third Year, Bioinformatics & Biotechnology
  • "From the moment I set foot on floor, this place has been my home away from home. It was so easy to make friends and I quickly became close to everyone. One of the huge benefits to being on floor is how easy it is to form study groups or find upperclassmen who have taken similar classes. (I have helped so many people with physics!) I could go on and on, but essentially, HoGS is a place where you can have crazy adventures, meet amazing people, be intellectually challenged, and excel academically."

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    Bryanne McDonough Fourth Year, Physics
  • "I love how HoGS is more than just a floor of nerds with a love of science. We are more than students working towards a BS or BFA. Some of us are musicians, some of us are artists. Some of us are fantastic at videogames or board games; amazing at knitting or crocheting. We are more than just talented individuals. We are a large group of friends, a community of people you can turn to, a family. HoGS has given me a chance. It has taught me to love myself and embrace my quirks.

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    Sarah Saunders Second Year, Graphic Design
  • "When I came to RIT, to HoGS, I was immediately accepted. There was no question or doubt in my mind that I could relate with every single person on and off this floor as soon as I met them. The great thing about HoGS, in my mind, is the sense of community. If someone is having a hard time with anything, stress, parents, relationships, homework, or anything else you need not go farther than a walk down the hall to receive the comfort or help you need. Although, many of us still butt heads every once in a while, we still choose to help one another. We are a family."

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    Michael McGowan Fourth Year, Environmental Science
  • "HoGS has been a completely life-changing experience for me. From having almost-daily family dinners to sitting up late at night to cram for exams, the community I have experienced through HoGS has defined my experience in college. I've never experienced a place that feels so immediately accepting and welcoming, you walk on floor and several people immediately say hello and check in. It doesn't matter what is happening, HoGS feels like a community.

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    Victoria Greever Second Year, Biotechnology and Molecular Bioscience
  • "I like that we are all weird and nerdy in different ways, but that's what makes us fit together."

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    Maryah Glover Third Year, Biology
  • "The best part about HoGS is that everyone is always willing to help you."

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    Travis Chaikin Third Year, Biochemistry
  • "I like that whenever you want to go get dinner, you can call down the hall, 'Who wants to go to Gracie's?' and at least five heads will peek out of the doors and say, 'Yes.'. You never have to eat alone."

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    Katie Wilson Fourth Year, Biochemistry
  • "I love how welcome HoGS wants everyone to feel. We are all so different but we have all found a home here."

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    Hanna Berga Fourth Year, Biology

Get In Touch With Us.


If you have any questions about our organization, please contact us at hogspresident@gmail.com. You should also follow us on our many social media sites!

Are you an incoming freshman interested in joining?
Please apply to the House of General Science in your RIT Housing Contract.

Come Visit

Colby B Residence Hall
Rochester Institute of Technology