History

Foundation

Founded in 1997 by 7 engineers, Devonshire was initially established as a community to provide strong intellectual, academic, and emotional support for a major where there were few other women and few social activities. At the time, 45% of all female engineers at Purdue changed majors, in part due to a lack of support from their peers. The early women of Devonshire felt a strong calling to combat this.

Creating the House

The seven founders worked hard to find interested members, locate faculty advisors, draft a constitution. After four months of work, on March 26, 1997, Devonshire became an officially recognized student organization. The founders then began searching for a house, and soon found a great option at 1025 Sixth Street. However, the house was in need of many repairs that would need to be completed before it was livable. With the help of the the Purdue Research Association, the Cooperative Housing Association, and the donations of many families and alumni, Devonshire housed its first members on August 23rd, 1998!

Current Status

In 2016, Devonshire moved to its current location at 171 Littleton Street, conveniently located by Chauncey Square and a fast walk to campus. We have a living capacity of 17 members and we have several out-of-house members. We also now have girls from a wide variety of majors! As a cooperative house, Devonshire has a strong sense of community while offering one of the most affordable housing options at Purdue. Members are in charge of decision making and running all aspects of the house, from overseeing house finances and house recycling to participating in weekly cooking and cleaning duties. We participate in sporting events and social functions that include tailgating with our football buddies, barn dance,  Winter Tea, intramural sports, Spring Formal, and May Day Tea. Devonshire also participates in philanthropy and fundraising efforts.