The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 37, No. 1 - 20

Shawn E . Brooks

be appreciated as one part of the large, diverse global community [of] which we are all a part. The same percentage of respondents (67%) felt that participating in OCC programs helped them develop a stronger sense of who they are. As expressed by a residence hall student, I feel that the OCC program greatly improved my sense of self because coming into college I didn’t really know who I was or where I would fit in, but utilizing this allowed me to find my role in the academic and social community on campus. One of the reasons the OCC was created was to connect students to the university community. Of the respondents, 70% indicated that the OCC was responsible for engaging them in programs and activities of the university community. Another student indicated that, The OCC has changed my understanding, attitude, and behavior about university participation on many levels. First of all, I am aware of the many activities and programs on campus. Through the OCC Web site all are available to me. In addition, through the OCC I now know the importance of being involved in the university community. I have also recognized that I enjoy my college experience even more when I participate with the OCC.

dence halls can contribute to the education of the whole student is by collaborating with academic departments in the production of learning communities within the residence halls. In fact, over the past decade, higher education has seen an explosion in the number of intentional learning communities created within residence halls on our nation’s campuses. At the University of Pittsburgh, we have created over a dozen living-learning communities (LLCs) that heighten the intellectual and personal development of residents. Although our LLCs are collaborative efforts between student and academic affairs, we have been fortunate to partner with external agencies to help provide our students with an unparalleled living-learning experience within two of our LLCs: the Leadership community and the Civic Engagement and Community Service community.

Leadership Living-Learning Community
The Leadership LLC was created to help advance the development of leadership skills and experiences for residents who had some prior leadership experience or training. Several university partners, including the School of Arts and Sciences and the College of Business Administration, helped us plan this experience. However, one of the things that makes this LLC so unique is the partnership we have been able to establish with a community-based leadership development organization called Leadership Pittsburgh Inc. (LPI). Leadership Pittsburgh Inc. is an independent nonprofit organization that develops a diverse group of professional leaders within the greater Pittsburgh area by connecting individuals from diverse backgrounds, professional

LIVInG-LeARnInG cOMMUnITIes
In their book Realizing the Educational Potential of Residence Halls, Schroeder and Mable (1994) offer insight into how residence halls can be used to extend learning beyond the traditional classroom walls. One of the ways that resi-

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The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 37, No. 1

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 37, No. 1