Have you thought about where you’re living next year? Did you know that Vanderbilt offers seven unique Living Learning Communities (LLCs) for you to choose? What are they, you ask? Our new Creative Campus Community (CCC), Vanderbilt Interest Projects (VIP) and Kissam Experience (KXP) will be returning next fall. Those programs will be joined by Leadership Hall (LH), Mayfield Lodges, McGill Project and McTyeire International House. These options will give students even more opportunities to live, learn and connect with friends, faculty and staff. There is no better resume builder!
Why should you consider LLCs? Residents who participate in LLCs have the benefit of living with students with shared interests. In many cases, they can live in close proximity with their friends, interact with faculty outside the classroom and work on projects and initiatives closely connected to their majors and hobbies. They participate in a self-directed learning experience, enriching their educational experience with the assistance of graduate and professional staff. Residents in our LLCs report higher levels of satisfaction with their residential experience and academic confidence. They develop relationships with their peers in the programs and also have the advantage of larger programming budgets. Living Learning Communities have traditions of healthy self-governance in which they have input on how their monies are utilized to benefit their community and the greater campus.
What are my choices? Each community offers something different for participants. We are fortunate enough to offer the following seven communities as valuable and competitive options for our students. Each community has at least one staff and graduate contact person that coordinates the programs. The following descriptions should provide you with a general overview of each area.
Creative Campus Community
For the 2009–2010 academic year, the Office of Housing and Residential Education will make rooms available in Vanderbilt/Barnard Hall, apart from the random selection assignment process, for the Creative Campus Community living-learning program. Creative Campus Community is designed to engage students across academic disciplines and interests, and to encourage ongoing participation and engagement in cultural programs and initiatives. Creative Campus Community participants are expected to engage fully in a yearlong, explorative learning experience. For questions, contact JoEl Logiudice at joel.logiudice@vanderbilt.edu.
The Kissam Experience
The Kissam Experience is a collaborative learning initiative designed to empower each Kissam resident to direct his or her own living and learning experience, allowing them to develop personal and professional life skills and make a difference in the present and in the future. The vision of the Kissam Experience will provide a new living and learning opportunity for all Kissam Quadrangle residents with emphasis on the Vanderbilt University second year student (sophomore) experience. This will be accomplished through target specific programming, student led community leadership, connection to Kissam Faculty Fellows and exposure to inquiry driven learning projects called Kissam Learning Initiatives in Collaborative Knowledge (KLICK) Projects. For questions, contact Antoine Birch at antoine.d.birch@vanderbilt.edu (Project Coordinator) or Monesca Smith at monesca.r.smith@vanderbilt.edu (Area Coordinator).
Leadership Hall
Leadership Hall is designed to help students identify, develop and practice personal leadership styles while living and working together within the residence hall. Students who participate in the program will examine their own leadership abilities based on academic and human development theory. Students meet bi-monthly to discuss and analyze different leadership opportunities, current events, civic engagement, leadership development, or other various leadership styles. Leadership Hall focuses on self-development, communication skills and group dynamics. Currently located and Barnard/Vanderbilt Hall, the program is altered each year to meet the specific needs of its students. This community is open to rising sophomores through rising seniors. The application process is includes the submission of a thorough application. Decisions are made by the LDIA office with no individual interview. Contact Shay Malone of the LDIA Office for questions at shalon.malone@vanderbilt.edu.
Mayfield Lodges
During the 1988-1989 academic year the Office of Housing and Residential Education set aside six Mayfield Lodges for the purpose of creating the LivingLearning Lodge program. Since 1988, the number of lodges participating in the program has increased from six to twenty. The Lodges are assigned to groups of ten students who live together in order to pursue a self-directed, year-long program of educational activities, including, but not limited to, community service/service learning projects. Students are required to have a faculty advisor who actively participates in the progress of their project. This year, houses may include both genders in one house. The application and interview process are highly rigorous. There is a group application followed by a screening process (performed by OHARE) and panel interview of faculty, staff and students. For questions, contact Charleson Bell, the Program Coordinator at charleson.s.bell@vanderbilt.edu or Tina Hopp, the Area Coordinator at tina.hopp@vanderbilt.edu.
McGill Project
McGill Hall is a co-residential hall with a strong sense of community, and members of the Project consider themselves to be part of an ongoing tradition. The McGill Project provides a home for students with a wide variety of majors and interests and this diversity is represented in the Project’s programs and activities. McGill residents undertake a yearly project, assisted by the Project Coordinator and residential staff. In past years, the project has been an Arts Fair for the local community and the residents presented not only their visual art, but also poetry and performance art. McGill residents also are required to attend and participate in McGill Hours led by Vanderbilt faculty. The interview process includes an individual interview and group interview process led McGill residents along side the Program Coordinator, Faculty in Residence and housing staff. For questions, contact the McGill Project Coordinator, Bryan VanGronigen at bryan.a.vangronigen@vanderbilt.edu or the Area Coordinator, Kerrie Turney at kerrie.turney@vanderbilt.edu.
McTyeire International House
McTyeire is a unique living/learning program promoting the use of foreign languages and the awareness of the diversity of cultures. Students living in McTyeire improve their fluency in Spanish, French, Italian, Chinese, German, Russian, or Japanese over the four language dinners, Monday through Thursday, and a weekly study break. In addition to the language groups, McTyeire also offers an International Interest Hall that focuses on the discussion of global social, cultural, and political issues. Residency in McTyeire is open to students of all majors and schools. Generally, the only requirements of admission are sufficient language ability to converse informally and the willingness to participate in both group specific and dorm-wide activities. New residents for the fall will be selected in February. For more information contact the Program Director, Anja Bandas, at anja.bandas@vanderbilt.edu.
Vanderbilt Interest Projects (VIP)
The VIP (Vanderbilt Interest Project) program is a joint effort of the Provost’s office and the Office of Housing and Residential Education (OHARE). This initiative will allow groups of five to ten students wishing to live together and study a topic of interest outside of the classroom while working with a faculty or staff adviser of their choice. Successful applicants will be expected to construct and participate in a year long planned, structured and participative learning experience. Written proposals will be reviewed by a Selection Committee of faculty, staff, and students. Decisions will be made based on the submitted materials although the committee may request to meet with a group with follow up questions. For more information contact one of the two Project Coordinators: Michael Bashour (michael.s.bashour@vanderbilt.edu) or Shawn Mosher (shawn.j.mosher@vanderbilt.edu).
To learn more about applying to the LLCs, please be on the look-out for more information on our Upcoming Events which will include Weekly McGill Hours, McGill Superheroes vs. Villians Party, Open Houses, CCC Guitar Hero Competition, Commons House Visits/Road Show, Mayfield Project Showcase, VIP Poster Showcase, Second Annual LLC Week! Applications for most LLCs will be available November 16, 2009.
Text courtesy Traci Ray, Associate Director of Residential Education for Living Learning Communities
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