Welcome to Knapp House

The Knapp House is the residence of the Marie Christine Kohler Fellows. The University of Wisconsin purchased the former Wisconsin Governor's Mansion in 1951 with funds from the Knapp endowment to maintain the Knapp Memorial Graduate program. Since 1954, the Kohler Foundation has generously funded the program. The fellows, selected through a campus-wide competition, reside at the house during the final stages of their post-graduate work.

The Knapp House is a community of scholars founded on the principles of scholarship, leadership, and the breadth of ideas. Since 1954, the Kohler Foundation has generously assured continuation of the program. These fellowships provide free housing in single rooms and offer an exceptional opportunity for graduate students from diverse disciplines to live together at the Knapp House, sharing research, culture and interests. Fellows host monthly seminar dinners – a formal setting for the exchange of ideas. For these events, fellows recruit speakers and invite guests from across campus and the community at large.