For 178 years, Cobblestone Manor has stood as a beautiful landmark for the Auburn Hills community. In the upcoming fall semester, this property will add onto its legacy by joining Oakland University.

At a press conference on Wednesday, July 18, Moceri, a family run development company, along with Oakland President Ora Hirsch Pescovitz, announced that Cobblestone Manor would become a living learning community for the Honors College.

“Oakland University will become the university of choice for our students, faculty and community because of what we are doing today, and friends like the Moceri family,” Pescovitz said during the press conference.

The manor, which has been renamed to the Frances M. Moceri Scholar House, will house eight Honors College students that qualify to be Moceri Scholars. These students, under the direction of Honors College Dean Graeme Harper, will live, research and hold workshops together in the new building.

“It’s not about a separation from Oakland,” Harper said at the unveiling of the Moceri House. “We’re looking forward to what we can do out here and how we can connect to campus.”

Harper said that the Honors College had plans to run a few classes out of the building, as well as host events at the space.

For students that were interested in becoming Moceri Scholars in the future, the Honors College is looking to have an application period next year for open positions in the house. According to Harper, the Honors College is looking for engaged students at OU and how they would spend their time living in the Moceri House.

The former Cobblestone Manor served as a bed and breakfast for people looking to stay in the Auburn Hills area. The manor features many amenities and luxuries for the incoming students, including fireplaces, whirlpool tubs and air-conditioning.

Dominic Moceri, a partner at Moceri, was excited at preserving Cobblestone Manor for the students that will be living there.

“We want to preserve what we have here,” Moceri said regarding any renovations that will happen to the new scholar house. “We want to preserve it for future generations.”

Several students have already been approached about living in the space, including Lea Herwyer, an English major in her senior year here at Oakland.

“When I learned I had a chance to live there, I couldn’t believe it,” Herweyer said. “I was honestly at a loss for words.”

Herweyer has the role of Senior Moceri Scholar for the upcoming semester in the Moceri House. In this role, Herweyer will serve as a mentor to the students living in the house, as well as a liaison between the Moceri House and the Honors College.

Pescovitz was very optimistic about what effect the Manor will have for the Honors College.

“I’m so thrilled for the students that will be living here,” she said. “This is a great place, and it will be stimulated by great people for great thoughts.”

The Moceri House has needed a few various changes in order to be suitable for the new residents, and these improvements are going to be handled by University Housing.

“Our facilities team has been involved in getting things ready for student inhabitancy,” said Kelly Garnett, the assistant director for Enrollment and Marketing for University Housing.

The Frances M. Moceri House is not the only new housing being introduced to students this year, with Hillcrest Hall finishing construction and Fitzgerald House being reopened for students in the fall.

“It was anticipated that Fitzgerald would likely be taken offline as a residential building, and repurposed as administrative space,” Garnett said.

Due to a large influx of students applying for housing, Fitzgerald is remaining open for residents for the upcoming school year.

The Frances M. Moceri House will be open in the fall semester to house this year’s Moceri Scholars, as well as for other Honors College events.