High school students with EXCEL Hockey Academy in Cranberry Township are residing this academic year at Chatham University’s Eden Hall campus in Gibsonia. The partnership arose when EXCEL’s need for student housing aligned with the University’s need to fill its empty residence hall.
They moved into Orchard Hall – which stopped housing Chatham students at Eden Hall after the 2023-2024 academic year – in August. The Chatham community was notified via email during the summer about the new tenants.
The students “are not affiliated with Chatham but will have access to Orchard and the Esther Barrazone Center (EBC),” the school-wide email said. “Given the program’s schedule and location of Orchard Hall, we anticipate minimal crossover and impact on Chatham’s academic and other uses at Eden Hall.”
This partnership provides the EXCEL students with a boarding school experience in close proximity to their facilities. The program will remain in its pilot phase through spring 2026. The number of residents and their demographics were not available at the time of publication.
The announcement follows the closure of Orchard Hall amid the University’s reorganization efforts. Previously, Falk School of Sustainability & the Environment students were required to complete a one-year residency at Eden Hall.
“I never wanted to diminish the experience that people had when they were there,” Bill Campbell, vice president of Operations & Communications, said. “A lot of this is predicated on the fact that since the residence hall opened, it never got to full capacity, no matter how much it was discounted, no matter how much the school was growing at the time or where its current enrollment is.”
Following Orchard Hall’s closure, many partners reached out about renting the space in different capacities, Campbell said.
“One of those was this hockey academy that expressed some interest, and so we restarted conversations.” While it is still early on in the pilot process, the EXCEL residency shows promise, according to Campbell. “This model that we have became intriguing because it is a model that, while starting small, has the ability and potential to scale to full capacity over the coming years, if the pilot is successful,” he explained.
Several students said they’re still disappointed that Orchard Hall isn’t a residential option for Chatham students, but do not mind the EXCEL students.
“I don’t mind much because we don’t ever interact with them,” Bakhit Cuccia ‘26 said. “I wish it was used by us, but it just feels like last year when it was empty.”
Conversations will continue throughout the year regarding the program’s future. If the pilot is successful, it will benefit campus by funding resources for students.
“The new Falk School of Sustainability & Environment Dean Dr. Emily Heffernan will lead a process this fall to explore ideas with Falk School faculty and students for activating and using Orchard Hall for our students, plus potentially those from other schools, in the summer months,” Campbell said.
The University’s hope is that this partnership will promote student activity at Eden Hall during the summer through residencies, summer camps and other campus-wide activities. “That’s a model that I think has validity, because people still get a living experience. It’s shorter for maybe those who don’t want to be there a full year,” Campbell said.
Angelina Antonucci ‘27 sees both pros and cons with a summer residency for Falk School students.
“If Orchard Hall ever reopened during my time as a student at Chatham, there would be little hesitation for me to move back in. I could see myself there over the summer if it was an option, but moving back and forth would be frustrating with the unknown of future full-time access.”
Campbell added that the EXCEL residency will also expand the opportunities, including dining options, available to Falk School students throughout the school year.
“The fact that [the EXCEL students] have a meal plan need also allows us to generate some more food opportunities, not just for them, but for our own students.”
The goal is to integrate the non-Chatham residents of Orchard Hall into the Eden Hall campus community, focusing on its values of sustainability and eco-consciousness.
“So far the feedback I’ve received from the residents is very positive,” Campbell said. “When they did their orientation, they talked about the campus, they talked about its role, they talked about its purpose. We talked about this as a high-performing green building.”
Dean Heffernan will share developments on the future of the Orchard Hall occupancy with students later this month.
