  silliman college is a residential college at yale university in new haven, connecticut, named for scientist and yale professor benjamin silliman. it opened in september 1940 as the last of the original ten residential colleges, and contains buildings constructed as early as 1901. it is yale's largest residential college by its footprint, occupying most of a city block. the older, indiana limestone part of the college consists of the vanderbilt-sheffield dormitories and byers hall, both originally part of the sheffield scientific school. the van-sheff portion of silliman was built between 1903 and 1906 by architect charles c. haight in the collegiate gothic style. byers hall was built in 1903 and was designed by hiss and weekes architects in the modified french renaissance style. the newer, georgian brick portion of the college, which includes most of the core facilities and the master's house, was completed in 1940 when the college was opened. architect eggers & higgins designed this part of the college. due to silliman's size, the college is able to house its freshmen in the college instead of on yale's old campus, allowing first year students to immediately become immersed in the vibrant student life in silliman. the college has links to harvard's pforzheimer house and dudley house, as well as trinity college, cambridge and brasenose college, oxford. its rival college at yale is timothy dwight college, located directly across temple street. == silliman college shield and mascot == silliman college's shield has a white background, three curving red lines emerging from near the bottom of the shield (representing salamander tails), and a green crossing bar containing three acorns. in heraldic terms, the shield is described as "arms: argent, three piles wavy gules, on a fess vert three acorns or." the colors represent the four ancient elements: red for fire, white for air and water, and green for earth. the acorns are an element taken fr
Eggers_&_Higgins_buildings Residential_colleges_of_Yale_University