What is a Living-Learning Community?

Drury's Living-Learning Communities (LLCs) are comprised of 16-20 students interested in a common theme, who reside in the same residential area, interacting together and with faculty and staff through a shared class, Alpha Seminar. Students learn about the power of community when they participate in a Living-Learning Community.

What are the Benefits of Joining a Living-Learning Community?

• Integrating intellectual aspects of students' lives outside of the classroom
• Bridging in-class learning and out-of-class experience
• Promoting collaboration between faculty, students, and staff
• Supporting students' transition to Drury's academic and intellectual community
• Exemplifying Drury's commitment to creating intimate, intentional learning-centered communities

Faculty Mentors

Living-Learning Communities encourage strong mentoring relationships between faculty and students, as well as the value of developing communities of shared purpose. Nationally, research has consistently shown benefits of the faculty-student interaction in Learning Communities to include:

• Higher levels of student participation in class,
• Greater student satisfaction with class,
• Greater apprecation of the areas,
• More involvement in campus life, and
• More time in group study (Pascarella and Terenzini, 2005).

2009-2010 Living-Learning Community Themes

Following are the seven themes available for Fall 2009 freshmen students. Click on the themes to learn what each faculty member is planning for their section of Alpha Seminar. (You will have the opportunity to rank your top four choices on the LLC application).

• Arts
• Entrepreneurship
• Hip-Hop Nation
• Our Culture, Global Culture
• Outdoors and the Environment
• Politics and Activism
• War, Memory, and American Identity

How to Apply?

1. Apply and be accepted to Drury University.
2. Return your housing contract to the Drury Admission Office with 'Freshman Living-Learning communities in Sunderland Hall marked as your residential hall choice.
3. Pay the $200 housing and tuition fee (refundable through May 1, 2009).
4. Submit the online Living-Learning Community application.

If you have questions, please contact Emily Givens, Director of Transitional Programs, for more information at (417) 873-7419, (800) 922-2274, or egivens@drury.edu. You can also review our Frequently Asked Questions.