Special Events

In the years since the student housing experiment and other development plans of the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, the Higgins estate has become a beloved gathering place for the WPI community and beyond. Featured below is a sampling of special events hosted at the house, in the gardens, and on the lawn--all of which speak to the estate's ongoing role in creating a culture of inclusion and belonging at WPI.

Haunted Higgins

This popular annual tradition began back in 2005, hosted each year by the WPI Student Alumni Society (SAS). The event heralds from legend of ghostly encounters at the estate. As stated by Rick Baruffi '14 in Mike D'Onofrio's 2013 WPI Today event announcement, "Haunted or not, the regal structure is a fascinating study. The more you get to know Higgins House, the more you understand you will never get to know all of its secrets. From concealed doorways to hidden stairwells, to a maze of crawl spaces, to a labyrinth of a basement, Higgins House is certainly the most mysterious building on campus."

Visit from Ghana's Ambassador to the United States, 2017

His Excellency Barfour Adjei-Barwuah was welcomed as an esteemed visitor to WPI shortly after the start of his tenure as Ghana's Ambassador to the U.S. Within a few years, he joined the WPI family as the university's inaugural Distinguished Statesman in Residence, a role that launched in 2021 to further support WPI's global initiatives,

Faculty, Staff & Other University Events

The Great Hall is widely regarded as the premier space on campus for smaller celebratory functions, campus trainings, and community-based learning opportunities.

Student Life

From WPI traditions to student organization cultural events, the Higgins lawn continues to facilitate the Institute's cultivation of belonging among its students.

This campus production was featured as part of WPI's Arts and Sciences Week in 2020. Every Brilliant Thing--a one-person play described by critic Frank Scheck as "a wise and witty examination of crippling depression" in his 2016 Hollywood Reporter review--was chosen and directed by Prof. Kate Moncrief, Arts and Sciences Department Head, to address the growing feelings of isolation and depression amidst the onset of a global pandemic. Kate elaborated on her hope for this production during an interview with The Herd: "We, as a community living through COVID-19, are experiencing a life-changing situation; some of the consequences include feelings of stress, isolation, and loneliness. As a community, we can use art to help us connect with each other and to help us heal. This play focuses on 'everything brilliant about the world'--finding joy and hope, even in the face of difficulty and loss." Thanks to the beautiful Higgins House grounds, this in-person, collaborative production could be performed for an audience while adhering to social distancing restrictions.

Alumni Get-Togethers

In addition to the estate's Alumni Lounge, the Higgins House Great Hall is a favorite among many of WPI's alumni groups for reunions and other functions.