Life at Yale | Yale University Skip to Main Content It looks like you're trying to zoom in on this page. For best results: use the most recent version of your browser, disable your browser's 'zoom text only' setting, and use your browser's default font size settings. To zoom in, use [Ctrl] + [+] in Windows, and [Cmd] + [+] on a Mac. To zoom out, use the keyboard shortcut [Ctrl] + [-] in Windows and [Cmd] + [-] on a Mac. Yale University Secondary Navigation CalendarsGiveNewsDirectories Search Navigation Info for... StudentsFacultyStaffAlumniNew Haven Community Go Main Navigation About YaleLeadership & OrganizationYale FactsTraditions & HistoryCenters & InstitutesYale’s Impact on AmericaImpact by StateYale & the WorldVisiting AcademicsUndergraduate StudyGraduate & Professional StudyDepartments & ProgramsGlobal EducationSummer SessionNon-Degree OfferingsOnline Learning AdmissionsUndergraduateGraduate & Professional SchoolsFinancial AidInternational StudentsSummer SessionNon-Degree Seeking StudentsWorld Fellows Program Research CollectionsLUX: Yale Collections DiscoveryMuseums and Libraries Life at YaleArts & CultureAthletics & RecreationHealth & WellnessNew HavenResidential LifeServiceStudent Groups & ActivitiesVirtual Yale Search A tradition, a company of scholars, a society of friends Explore the Gallery The historic and recently renovated Commons Dining Hall is the heart of the Yale Schwarzman Center, the university’s campus-wide student center established in 2015. The center has a variety of spaces for collaborating, performing, attending talks and concerts, and socializing. Students volunteer at the Yale Sustainable Food Project on Yale's teaching farm, one of many service opportunities available on campus and in the larger community. There are numerous ways for students to pursue their interests outside the classroom, from performance groups to student government. Dance troupes, like Rhythmic Blue shown here, offer opportunities to engage your creative side. Boola Boola! There’s no shortage of sports teams to cheer on, including the Men's Hockey Team who practice and compete at Ingalls Rink (affectionately known as “The Whale” for its distinctive architecture). The Yale Center for British Art is one of several world-class museums and galleries that call Yale home. Admission is free for members of the Yale community. The university offers a number of programs and events to recognize its talented employees, including an annual Staff Appreciation Day with great food, swag giveaways, and live music. New Haven is a great place to live and work, with shopping, eateries, and entertainment available just steps from campus. Yale’s most celebrated resident is Handsome Dan, the Olde English Bulldogge that serves as the university’s mascot. He’s often seen taking walks on campus, attending athletic events, and hanging out at his home base, the Yale Visitor Center. Life at Yale of Previous Next Close Breadcrumb Home Life at Yale Additional Navigation Sub Navigation Arts & Culture Athletics & Recreation Health & Wellness New Haven Residential Life Service Student Groups & Activities Virtual Yale Life at Yale Yale is more than an institution of higher learning; it is a community where people of diverse cultures and nationalities live, work, and play — connected by their similarities and enriched by their differences. Our community members have a wide range of talents, interests, vocations, and needs, and the university is committed to providing the services and opportunities to keep them strong in mind, body, and spirit. We celebrate our hometown of New Haven, CT for all that it offers, including its renowned restaurants, shops, and cultural attractions. Arts & Culture Discover the countless ways that creativity and diversity bloom on the Yale campus. Arts & Culture Athletics & Recreation Both on and off the playing field, there are many sports programs to cheer about at Yale. Athletics & Recreation Health & Wellness We strive to keep our students, staff, and faculty healthy in every respect. Health & Wellness New Haven See why Yales hometown is the cultural capital of Connecticut and a magnet for “foodies.” New Haven Residential Life From the residential colleges to off-campus apartments, there are a variety of housing options for members of the Yale community. Residential Life Service Yale community members are dedicated to transforming the world for the better. Service Student Groups & Activities Whatever your interests, you’ll find fellow enthusiasts in one of our hundreds of student groups. Student Groups & Activities Virtual Yale Watch a lecture, take an online course, listen to a podcast, or interact with great works of art. Virtual Yale Info for Visiting Yale Campus ToursMaps & DirectionsYale Visitor CenterMuseums & LibrariesNew HavenMore Visit Resources Helpful Links Contact UsCareersEmergency InfoPrivacy PolicyPublic SafetyAccessibility at YaleYale West CampusYale Status Board Visiting Yale Campus ToursMaps & DirectionsYale Visitor CenterMuseums & LibrariesNew HavenMore Visit Resources Equal Opportunity and Nondiscrimination at Yale University: The university is committed to basing judgments concerning the admission, education, and employment of individuals upon their qualifications and abilities and seeks to attract to its faculty, staff, and student body qualified persons from a broad range of backgrounds and perspectives. Additionally, in accordance with this Policy and as delineated by federal and Connecticut law, Yale does not discriminate in admissions, educational programs, or employment against any individual on account of that individual’s sex; sexual orientation; gender identity or expression; pregnancy, childbirth or related conditions; race; color; national or ethnic origin; religion; age; disability; protected veteran status, or other protected classes as set forth in federal and Connecticut law. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 protects people from sex discrimination in educational programs and activities at institutions that receive federal financial assistance. See Yale’s full Equal Opportunity & Nondiscrimination Statement. 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