Learning Communities
Living-Learning Communities, by design, help to facilitate conversation and learning far beyond the traditional
classroom setting and allow students to engage in profound discussion, dialogue, and meaningful
interaction in the place where students spend the majority of their time—in the residence
halls. Studies show that students who participate in learning communities, in general,
and in living learning communities, in particular, have more frequent interactions
with peers and faculty, higher classroom attendance rates, higher cumulative GPAs,
a greater sense of engagement with the campus community, and higher participation
rates in faculty and peer mentorship programs than their non-learning community peers.
Living-Learning Communities promote a sense of “belonging”—to the campus, to others
who share similar interests, and to the academic community of the University. Each
Living-Learning Community has a dedicated Faculty Associate, who works closely with
the course instructors and Resident Assistant to develop engaging extra- and co-curricular
activities that expand and enhance learning in the associated courses.
Requirements Students interested in this LC must be enrolled in the Leadership Studies FYF course. Space is limited and selection will be made based on FYF enrollment.
Requirements Students interested in this LC must be enrolled in the Cross Cultural Dialogue FYF course. Space is limited and selection will be made based on FYF enrollment.
Evaluate strategies for reducing their carbon footprint in order to adopt new or improve upon current practices. Provide a working model of environmentally sustainable conservation that may then be expanded to other residence halls. Write reflective journals at each midterm and at the end of each term, which will address changes in consumption, overall attitudes, and future goals. Develop and implement educational outreach programs on campus and in the local community. Community members will be supported in all activities and responsibilities by the FYF instructor, the SLLC Faculty Associate, and the SLLC Resident Assistant.
Requirements Students participating in this Living-Learning Community must be enrolled in the “Topics in Urban Sustainability” FYF course. Space is limited and selection will be made based on FYF enrollment.
4. DISCOVERING SCIENCE THROUGH COMPUTERS
What is it like to create and manipulate models of molecules using computers? Or to use computers to travel through the human body, analyze patterns in music, or learn to model physical phenomena such as the spread of fires in the forest?