Columbae’s history dates to the height of the Vietnam War, when students sought a place to pursue nonviolence and informed decisions about their environmental impact. Residents both past and present describe its vibe as open and communal and its vegetarian fare as some of the freshest and most varied food on campus. Today, the house is one of seven student-run co-ops, all of which emphasize collaborative living and community building. Student involvement drives the day-to-day operations of Columbae’s kitchen. All residents are responsible for contributing to meal prep by completing weekly and biweekly tasks such as cooking, cleaning or baking bread. Each also serves as head cook once per quarter, working with the two kitchen managers to plan and order ingredients. Sunday through Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m. the kitchen buzzes with activity as students prepare dinner for 70: the 53 residents who live in Columbae, plus eating associates and guests. As kitchen manager Elise Guinee-Cooper, ’12, puts it, “The kitchen is the heart of the co-op.”
Rachel Kolb, ’12, MA ’13, plans to study contemporary literature at Oxford as a Rhodes scholar.
