Living Learning Communities

Generally, a Living-Learning Community is an intentionally designed residential community comprised of students who share academic, social, and/or cultural interests.

The College of Health Sciences Living-Learning Community (COHS LLC) is administered by the Dean of the College of Health Sciences and is designed to foster the success of students within the College by providing academic support, opportunities for social engagement, development of leadership skills, opportunities to develop both peer and professional networks, and by facilitating student engagement with the department, college, and university. The COHS LLC also strives to support COHS freshmen in the transition from high school to university.

Generally these goals are accomplished through student participation in group activities and programs that involve interaction with faculty, participation in service-learning projects, field trips and social events. The COHS LLC provides support to its participants on many levels. LLC students live together on the same floor in one of our Campus Suites which provides an immediate peer-support environment. The COHS LLC offers participants the opportunity to remain as members throughout the course of their undergraduate experience, which provides for a mentoring environment as our upperclassmen live on the same floor as our younger students. This peer-support environment is further enhanced by the presence of a Resident Advisor, also living on the floor, whom is an upperclassman or graduate student majoring within one of the departments of the COHS. The COHS is also supported by a Graduate Assistant whom is a graduate student in one of the majors within our college and assists with monthly programming and supervision of study blocks, both of which are explained below.

Study Blocks – LLC participants are provided with organized study blocks which are scheduled once or twice per week during the semester. The study blocks are held in Kemp Library and are supervised by the COHS LLC graduate assistant. The study blocks provide an opportunity for structured study time in an environment that encourages peer mentoring. Study blocks are mandatory for COHS LLC freshmen and optional for upper classmen.

Department Programs – Each month one of the COHS academic departments organizes and administers two programs for our LLC students. These programs vary by department but are designed to provide two or more of the following: professional development, networking opportunities, social engagement, and service learning. Importantly, department faculty participate in these programs which provides an important avenue for students to develop rapport with faculty outside of the classroom and across the multiple disciplines within the COHS. Examples include a trip to Scranton-Wilkes Barre Hockey Game with tours of sports medicine and strength and conditioning facilities, and assisting in organization and administration of “Autism Speaks 5k Run”.

Academic / ESU Engagement Programming – Each month students are provided with programs that provide information regarding academic support and / or focus on opportunities to become more engaged at the department, college, or university levels. These programs are organized by the COHS LLC Graduate Assistant. Examples include “Survival Guide for COHS Freshmen”, “Advice on Advising”, and “Extracurricular Opportunities at ESU”.

Participation in COHS LLC – Offers of membership within the LLC are made exclusively to incoming first-time freshmen majoring in one of the departments within the College of Health Sciences. Because freshmen membership is limited, students receiving offers are selected randomly by each participating department based on the date that students confirm their ESU attendance by securing their seat with a deposit.