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JOE MARGOLIES: Thank you for joining me on a tour of Princeton University's eating clubs.
I'm Joe Margolies, the president of the Interclub Council and also the
immediate past president of Quadrangle Club. The clubs are one of the most
popular dining and social options for Princeton students. In their junior and
senior years, about 70 percent of Princeton upperclassmen join one of the
11 clubs that are located on or near Prospect Avenue, which students call
the Street.
NATALIE HEJDUK: Chefs are always really accommodating. You can always go to the chefs during
lunch to get a grilled option if you want. You can really ask them if you like
something, can you just make that for me again? Do you have any extra of that?
Yeah, they're always really accommodating if you have allergies or anything like that.
JOE MARGOLIES: The clubs provide members with meals, study spaces, a home-away-from-home
atmosphere, and the opportunity to participate in social events, intramural
sports, and community service activities. Each club has an officer responsible for
organizing community service activities throughout the year. In the spring, all of
the clubs work together to host an interclub fundraiser called Truckfest, a food
truck event for the University and the community.
MALLORY BANKS: I'm in here like almost all the time. I think most people are like, Mallory do
you do work? Like do you go back to your room? Like where do you sleep?
Just because I feel so at home here. I feel like the atmosphere is so warm and
open and loving, and it's something that I really looked for in an eating club,
that I would consider my family.
JOE MARGOLIES: In 1855, faced with a lack of campus-sponsored
dining options and a prohibition on fraternities, Princeton students began
dining in boarding houses in town. Twenty-four years later, a group of students rented a
building on Mercer Street and began a more formal kind of eating club.
The process of becoming a club member has evolved over the years. Today any student
who wants to join can become a member of a club. The clubs are very diverse, and
all of the clubs are co-educational. Five of the clubs are open for any student to
join, and six have a selection process to admit members. Students are eligible to
join a club in the second semester of sophomore year.
DANNY ZIRKEL: Being a member of the
club, it's definitely like being a part of a family and you feel
like you're an integral part of the family, that your voice matters and you
can shape the culture of the club and the direction that the club takes moving forward.
JOE MARGOLIES: The dining and social fees for each club vary but are generally higher
than the University dining contract. The University's financial aid plan provides
students on financial aid with an allowance to help cover the additional
costs of joining a club. The size of each club varies from about 100 to 250
members. Each club is small enough that members get to meet many new friends
with different interests and backgrounds. Each club is a private entity managed by
a board of trustees and student officers. The presidents of all 11 of the clubs
are members of the Interclub Council. The purpose of the ICC is to provide a
forum for the clubs to collaborate on issues that affect them collectively and
to ensure that the clubs provide an enjoyable, responsible and safe
atmosphere for all members. The ICC works with the University to support its
policies and educate members on issues of conduct and safety. Membership leads
to long-lasting bonds of friendship. Many members return as alumni for Reunions
and other events during the year,
reconnecting with each other and meeting new members. The clubs are a place where
generations of Princetonians come together to share memories and great
times.
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