Where the Magic Happens: A Student-centered Approach to Community Building in Faculty-led
Interdisciplinary and Affinity Living/Learning Communities
3:45-4:35 p.m.
Location: Pollock B
Type: Informative/panel
Audience: Living Learning Communities
Presenters: Melissa Foreman, Chinenye Anyanwu, Jaci Van Heest, and Sara Dahlen, University
of Connecticut
Chinenye Anyanwu, founding Faculty Director of UConn's newest Living/Learning Community,
BSOUL (Black Sisters Optimizing Unity & Leadership) House, flipped her approach to
implementing community building activities based on stories shared in a faculty director
meeting by Jaci Van Heest, Faculty Director of Public Health House. This spring, student
leaders were assigned a month to lead community building activities. The approach
resulted in events students wanted and increased engagement and attendance. Student-led
activities included a Black Student Organization Involvement Fair and a Health Innovation
Hackathon. During this session led by students, faculty, and staff, participants will
learn strategies to develop student leaders as a vehicle to ensure activities are
relevant and have peer buy-in, which is where the magic happens in LC experiences.
When directors craft scaffolded community and leadership development, students will
dare to take risks, knowing that whether they fail or succeed, they have their community
to lean on.
