Engineering living-learning community shapes UC first-year experience

Engineering students that live together learn better together. That's the thinking behind the new engineering living-learning community.

The engineering living-learning community, which is part of the University of Cincinnati Department of Engineering Education's new first-year model, occupies four floors in Daniels Hall. These floors house up to 280 first-year students who have been accepted to UC's College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS).

The overall goal is to create an environment that fosters community, collaborative learning and campus engagement.

"We're bringing students together to develop a CEAS identity," says P.K. Imbrie, professor and head of the Department of Engineering Education. "We believe that identity will help build community while retaining more engineering students."

The living-learning community groups students from all engineering disciplines together. Since the first-year curriculum is very similar for all CEAS students, students can easily study together regardless of major.

"We're putting 280 engineering students in close proximity," says Imbrie. "These students can walk down the hall and work with someone taking the same course as them, even if they're not in the same section."

Students that live in the living-learning community also take part in co-curricular activities. These activities can range from reassembling a lawn-mower engine to constructing a trebuchet.

Imbrie sees the engineering living-learning community growing. He hopes UC eventually can offer multiple residence halls at various price points to include more engineering students. As UC students progress through their first academic year, the new engineering living-learning community will help shape their first-year experience.