At the beginning of this semester, Neumann rolled out a number of learning communities on campus.
These communities consist of the Franciscan Justice Circle, the Sports & Esports Management Community, All Female Community, and Substance Free Knights.
What is a Learning Community, you may ask? A Learning Community is a residential experience where students that share interests, socially or academically, live together. Students who live here can bond with their roommates due to similarities and share successes. This opportunity provides students with a chance to have a customizable education and life here at Neumann University.
The implementation of these communities has caused, like most new things, good and bad chatter.
Many students around campus are grateful for the opportunity they have to live in these communities.
The students that live in these communities have a pathway to success and friendship, and many resources at their fingertips. Living in a community like this is a great option to have, and not one that students at every school have.
The opportunities these communities provide for people to bond over being in similar situations is unmatched.
However, some students on campus have complained about this change.
Many NU students yearn for more on-campus living options that aren’t dorms. The implementation of these communities limits people on where they could live if they did not want to live in these communities or did not qualify for these programs.
Students around campus have also been confused by the change. Not many students even knew this was happening. Many students were disappointed they did not learn about this opportunity in time, and some are left bothered they found out through word of mouth. Some still are not fully aware of what these communities are or the purpose they serve.
Here is what we know:
The Chiara Honors House was the start of something larger on Neumann’s campus.
The Chiara house holds students who are a part of the Honors Program and decided to live around those with similar aspirations and workloads. Now, in 2024, Neumann is introducing more communities like this one. The Chiara House laid the path down for similar communities to form, as it has been around for many years.
Within the Chiara House, you can find the Honors Program. Honors students can participate in specialized programs/courses, receive specialized study sessions and specific excursions related to the honors curriculum. All first-year honors students can live in the Chiara House if they choose to. However, the Honors program is not limited to the Chiara house, as students in the program are not required to live in the learning community.
Glenn Riddle Hall, the newest residence hall on campus, is home to two learning communities. These learning communities consist of the Franciscan Justice Circle, and the Sports & Esports Management Community.
The Franciscan Justice Circle consists of first-year students who want to engage in social justice initiatives inspired by Saint Francis of Assisi. This learning community has a mixed blend of unique opportunities. These consist of community service, curricular education, and advocacy efforts designed to empower students to make an impact or a difference.
The second learning community in Glenn Riddle Hall is the Sports & Esports Management Community. For Knights living in this learning community, they can find themselves in a place where people are supportive of them pursuing a career in sports or esports. Many activities and other social events will be held throughout the year for this learning community. Some of the ideas they have are to incorporate a gaming lounge, have professional development programming, industry-specific trips, staff/faculty drop-in listening sessions, and to bring in exclusive speakers.
