History

Crown House is named for Paula Hannaway Crown and James S. Crown, University Trustee and former Chair of the Board.  James Crown received his BA from Hampshire College in 1976, and his JD from Stanford University in 1980. He currently serves as the President of Henry Crown and Company, an investment firm that owns or has interests in a variety of business assets. He was elected as Trustee of the University in 1988. In 2003, he became Chairman of University of Chicago Board of Trustees, serving in that role until he was succeeded by Andrew Alper in 2009. Paula H. Crown received her BA from Duke University in 1980. In 2003, she became a member of the Board of Trustees at Duke University. She currently serves as the Vice President of Real Estate Finance at Henry Crown and Company. The Crowns have four children.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Crown are very committed to their involvement with the University. They have been generous contributors to the Urban Education Initiative, the Central Annual Fund, the Division of the Humanities, the Division of the Biological Sciences, Chicago Booth, and the Smart Museum. In addition to his leadership on the Board, Mr. Crown has served as a member of Medical Center Board of Trustees, the Major Gifts Athletics Committee, and the Visiting Committees to the Division of the Humanities and the Law School. Mrs. Crown remains an active member of the Women’s Board.

Culture

Crown House is composed of half first-year students and half returning students. Typical bonding activities include daily Daily Show viewing and old-fashioned hanging out. The House is known for its unusual annual themes, including World Records (you should've seen our Butter Statue of Liberty) and Mangos (can you say papier mache?). It has previously cultivated its own botanical garden and a library of trashy books.