What do visitors look for when considering Jacksonville as a potential place to live, work and study? While we at Jacksonville State University certainly hope quality education is a deciding factor, Dr. Tim King, associate vice president for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, says a sense of community impacted his decision to move his family to Jacksonville in 2007.
“Close-knit community, that’s what it’s all about. People look for those ties that bond you to one another and to the community.”
Since joining his family to the JSU family last year, Dr. King has embarked on an exciting venture to grow greater community among our students, faculty and staff here at JSU.
Along with the staff of the Department of University Housing and Residence Life, Dr. King is cultivating living/learning communities — sustainable communities that support and encourage students in all areas of their lives as they pursue their educational goals.
Although naturally-occurring living/learning communities such as the Southerners dorm, the International House and the Greek and Panhellenic houses have been in place at JSU for many years, the University’s first formally-organized living/learning community — the new Leadership House for Women in Paul Carpenter Village — drew international attention before the first resident moved in on August 21.
The house was featured in the July/August 2008 edition of Talking Stick, a publication produced by the Association of College and University Housing Officers-International (ACUHO-I).
The Leadership House for Women is just what the name implies.
From a pool of applicants, 16 sophomore, junior and senior women were chosen to live in the house, where they will spend the next academic year sharing their talents and developing their campus and community leadership skills with the assistance of a mentor.
To qualify, applicants need to have a minimum 2.5 GPA and serve in at least one campus organization.
House residency requires 30 hours of community service per semester, as well as participation and attendance in programs presented twice monthly at the house.
Each month, two residents of the house will partner to present a program to their housemates.
The programs will follow the LEARN Model, an acronym for the programming dimensions of life skills, education, awareness, responsibility and needs, according to Ms. Sharree Tuck, assistant residence life manager for the Department of University Housing and Residence Life.
Tuck will live in the house with the women and serve as the house mentor and manager.
“We have a very diverse group of women, and one of the requirements of the Leadership House is that they have to bring their talent to the house,” she says.
“These in-house presentations will be used to unite the residents and promote community, within the walls of the house and without. I’m excited about it, and I think it’s going to be a great learning experience for them.”
“By opening this door of opportunity, they will be able to comprehend the benefits of leadership and gain self-confidence, which will contribute extensively to their everyday life and any organization in which they are affiliated,” she says.
Ms. Brooke Bell, Assistant Director of Housing and Residence Life, says she is very excited about the mentoring aspect of the program, which will bring female faculty, staff and alumni, along with community leaders, to the house to lend inspiration and support.
Why start with a leadership house for women? Based on the University’s demographics, Dr. King says it was an obvious choice.
“Sixty percent of our students are female,” he said. “Add to that the fact that the Princeton Review ranked JSU number two in the country for providing opportunities for women in business.”
“Historically, traditionally, females in higher education haven’t been given the same opportunities that we’ve naturally given to men. Since this is where our population is now, we need to focus on leadership for women, and we have the available means to do so. It was readily achievable.”
Dr. King credits much of JSU’s move to living/learning communities to Mr. Kevin Hoult, Director of JSU’s Office of University Housing and Residence Life, who has been moving the campus toward a stronger sense of community living.
“Our next goal will be to offer a leadership house for men and mandatory housing for first year students,” Dr. King says.
The university is already looking into a living/learning community for honor students, and Dr. King adds that other specialized communities for similar academics or shared interests could evolve.
“We have to clarify at JSU how we’re different from other institutions, give an alternative experience that facilitates students’ connection to our campus, and offer identification to our community that will sustain them during their years here.”
Angie Ayers Finley, public relations specialist, contributed to this article.
