The Bridge

New Learning Communities Big Hits This Year

The Residential Education Office’s plan for additional learning/living communities this year has paid off. A record number of learning community options were offered for fall 2008 and have shown to be very popular with students.

Residential Living Communities (RLCs) are designed to assist first-time freshmen living on campus with their transition from high school to college. Each community is created around a similar theme or major with a focus on citizenship, scholarship, leadership and diversity.

Research continues to show that students who participate in RLCs have higher grade point averages compared to non-RLC residence students, who in turn have much higher GPAs than commuter students. Additionally, RLC students are more likely to continue on to their sophomore year.

Just a few of the new thematic RLCs include:

• Emerging Leaders Programs in Maya Hall: Most of these diverse students are on track with the new leadership development minor. The Emerging Leaders program is an intensive and interactive learning experience introducing students to leadership development.
• Business Floor: This RLC provides opportunities for students to explore innovation, creativity, and character development in the business field.
• Health and Healing Professions: In this learning community, students interested in a career in the health profession examine the role of healing, nutrition and wellness.
• WiSE (Women in Science and Engineering): WiSE is an academically supportive community for women interested in majors and careers in the sciences and engineering, providing clear academic goals, social support and networking.
• Physical Fitness: the P-Fit floor fosters wellness and healthy lifestyle choices for students interested in the fields of exercise, nutrition and physical activity.
• Toltec House for Undeclared Majors: Toltec residents explore major and career options while developing a strong sense of identity and influence through academic and social programming.
• Zapotec Honors and Scholars House: Priority for this community was reserved for students admitted to the Honors Program.

According to Residential Education director Randy Timm, students love the individual focus of each hall.

“I have a lot of these freshmen who say they want to continue living in their same communities next year,” he said. “I have to tell them they can’t, but I encourage them to stay involved and become mentors to the next freshman class moving into their communities.”