Themed Housing

Our Themed Housing program is centered around students living together who share identities, interests, or goals. Themed housing encourages student learning through shared experiences and opportunities for personal discovery and reflection. Research shows that students who live in themed housing environments are more likely to stay in college, earn a higher GPA, and experience a greater degree of satisfaction with their overall college experience.

Our goal is to foster a strong sense of student belonging, self-efficacy, and well-being through our themed housing. Themed housing provides purposeful programming achieved through the collaborative efforts of campus partnerships. 

Themed housing meets the Residence Life mission of providing resources to assist in residents’ development of:

• emotional intelligence, resilience, and well-being
• encouragement to actively participate in social responsibility and personal accountability 
• pathways for leadership and mentorship
• support for navigating processes and procedures of our department
• opportunities for cultivating university community connections and sense of belonging

Themed housing creates a rich educational living experience that complements classroom learning while also providing learning experiences that facilitate social connections and positive identification with their community.

Current Housing Communities

We are proud to have a student driven process for creating themed housing. Each of our current themed housing communities was created based on requests from students. 

The Honors Community

All first-year Honors students live together in the Honors Living-Learning Community located in Morse Hall, starting Fall 2024. This community supports the formation of deeper connections with peers, staff, and faculty in the Honors Program. Through dinners, topical discussions, professional meet-and-greets, and other social programs, students will form long-lasting friendships, make connections with the university community, and learn about curricular and co-curricular resources.

The Trans & Non-Binary Community

The Trans & Non-Binary Living-Learning Communities are created for students who identify anywhere within the transgender and non-binary spectrum as well as folx who are strong active allies. In partnership with the Multicultural Center, this community will provide our Trans & Non-Binary residential population with a brave and intentional space to build community, share lived experiences and perspectives, and foster identity development. Folx who are a part of this community can expect faculty and staff involvement, fun programming experiences, and opportunities to celebrate trans leaders and advocates. The First Year Trans & Non-Binary community is located in Simmons Hall. The Upper level Trans & Non-Binary community is located in Dix Hall.

The BIPOC Community

The Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Living-Learning Communities foster authentic and lasting solidarity to undo Native invisibility, anti-Blackness, and advance racial justice. The BIPOC community will be a space for the community to connect around shared/ similar identity(s) and lived experiences. The Office of Residence Life and the Multicultural Center will partner to provide intentional programming that focuses on uplifting and empowering BIPOC student voices through dialogue on topics of personal development, professional growth, university connections, resources, and opportunities beyond graduation. The First Year BIPOC community is an extension of the BIPOC Bridge Program and is located in Simmons Hall.

The Beit Community

The Beit Community offers any resident the opportunity to live in a uniquely Muslim environment. The Beit is a vibrant and inclusive community that fosters an environment where individuals can thrive academically, spiritually, and socially. In collaboration with the Office of Residence Life and the Multicultural Center, this community will be a supportive home where students can engage in a holistic experience while embracing the richness of Islamic culture and values.

Living in a Themed Community

Incoming First-Year students can opt into a themed community when they apply for housing. The Housing application will provide a space to select which themed communities, if any, align with their interests. Students will then be selected to live in the communities based on availability.

Returning students will be able to apply to live in a themed community. The application opens in the Fall semester and closes in the spring semester. Students will be selected based on the quality of their application in addition to availability. Once students are selected, students will be notified of their housing placement for the upcoming school year in the spring. Please look below for the general timeline of the Themed Housing Application process:

• Application opens in November
• Application closes in February
• Applications are reviewed in February & March
• Themed Community Placement decisions communicated in March

Creating a New Themed Housing Community

Students interested in creating a new themed housing community should fill submit a proposal. This timeline will help you to understand the themed community creation process.

• Proposal deadline: July 1
• Proposal review and consideration: July – September
• Confirmation of approval/denial: September
• Preparation for website and application: September – October
• Community Launch: August of following year

Submit a Proposal for a New Housing Community

Our team is dedicated to continuing to provide spaces that align with our goals:

• Provide students with a sense of belonging in a community of their peers united by a common interest. 
• Support students’ intellectual, personal, and social growth by providing them with opportunities to learn in a collaborative, engaging environment. 
• Work to integrate students’ academic, social, and residential experiences. 
• Challenge students to test their skills/knowledge through applications, experiences, and reflection outside the classroom. Examples of this include intellectual discussions, trips, projects, speakers, and events. 
• Provide opportunities for faculty and staff to engage in university service and student mentoring outside of the classroom in their field of interest or discipline.