Eliot House was conceived in 1956 by the chair of the Fellowship of Faiths, a student organization dedicated to supporting Protestant, Catholic and Jewish students. The Fellowship of Faiths dreamed of a religious center that would serve all students of faith by providing “faith education, worship and social services to students.” The house marked the symbolic shift in the religious identity of the College from a Protestant to a nondenominational campus serving a multifaith student body and community.
In 1984, a space was created on the rooftop of Eliot House to include a traditional Japanese meditation garden and teahouse called Wa-Shin-An, translated as “Peace-Mind House.” Wa-Shin-An offers tea ceremonies four times during the academic year, including during Family and Friends Weekend, Commencement and Reunion II. Wa-Shin-An is a treasure for all those seeking a quiet, contemplative space for meditation and peace.