The Ivy Club

The Ivy Club is a private dining club at Princeton University located in a three-story Jacobean-style building on Prospect Avenue. The space features long communal tables and multiple rooms designed for dining and studying.

The club was founded in 1879 and relocated to its present location in 1897 after occupying several earlier buildings. Its establishment came during an era when such dining societies became common at American universities.

The club serves as a gathering place where undergraduate members dine with faculty and alumni during special dinners to share ideas and build connections. These events bring together different generations of the university community at long tables.

The club selects about 72 sophomore students annually through a competitive interview process called bicker. Selected members gain access to dining services and educational programs throughout their remaining years.

Members follow a seating tradition where each person takes the next available chair at long shared tables. This practice encourages conversations between students from different class years and creates unexpected friendships.