Living Learning Communities (LLCs) are becoming increasingly popular within the St. Edward’s University community. To date, there are currently 10 LLCs which feature students who share common goals or who major within the same field.

LLCs have grown tremendously in size from when they first started in 2007. Residence Life Assistant Director Christy Brown said that the first two LLCs, the Global Understanding and the Social Justice communities, were available to freshmen only. Due to the LLCs’ success, the Business, Honors and Natural Sciences communities were later added in 2010.

In 2012, the first LLC for upperclassmen — Faith and Service — was established. The French Language LLC was also created in 2012, but in 2013 it became the Modern Languages LLC for upperclassmen. Three new communities were added to the Hilltop this fall including the Active Living, Leadership, and the biggest LLC ever, Film and Fiction.

To date all 10 of the LLCs total a number of 178 freshmen and 17 upperclassmen.

“Every spring during housing sign-up, each LLC starts out with a certain number of spaces held, and depending on student interest and other needs, Residence Life can adjust the number of spots in each LLC,” Brown said.

Students that withdraw from the university or study abroad change up the initial number, but the communities are continuing to expand each year.

So what is it about LLCs that continue to make students want to be apart of it?

Freshmen Gabriel Eliaz and Justin Lim live in the Active Living LLC in Teresa Hall and the Business LLC in Basil Moreau Hall, respectively, but they both agree that being in one of these communities is a bonding experience.

“I love how close I’ve become with my fellow LLC members,” Lim said. “We’re basically a family now.”

All LLCs do similar activities such as go out to dinner as a group. However, the LLCs each have their own unique aspects.

The Business LLC is filled with students that are majoring in something involving business, so they have group study sessions every month and mandatory workshops. Some students, like Lim, appreciate how everyone has similar classes, so everyone involved can help each other, even if they are all studying for different fields. However, this can also make branching out difficult for students since all their close friends may be in a certain LLC.

The Active Living LLC is unique from the Business LLC. The purpose of this community is to stay active, so everyone involved has an Active Living class on Friday, even though every student participating has a different major.

“We encourage each other to get involved in the school and broaden our horizons to different topics and activities,” Eliaz said.

Although the living communities come with their own drawbacks, current community members are certain that they will continue to grow and be a great success on the Hilltop in future years.

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