Why Are Gonzaga Students Required to Live On Campus?

As you may well know, Gonzaga requires all freshmen and sophomores to find a home away from home on campus. But maybe you’re unsure of the many reasons for this requirement. National statistics show that students who live on campus do better academically than those who live off campus; at Gonzaga, it is no different. But beyond that, living on campus provides opportunity for skill-building and learning, that otherwise may not take place off campus. There is value added in the experiences students get by living in community with their peers. But residing on campus is more than just a place to live with their friends; it’s a place for students to learn about themselves, digest and make sense of what they are learning in the classroom and so much more. To support the learning and growth, the Housing & Residence Life staff has created intentional opportunities to engage students in fun, creative ways.

Some of the support is peer-created and sustained such as small study groups or peer editing papers, while many of the academic initiatives provided for on-campus students is created by the Housing and Residence life department and its staff. In example, the department currently has 4 living-learning communities in Coughlin Hall. Through these communities, students are challenged to think bigger, dream brighter and push themselves farther than they can imagine. Through this process, they learn about themselves, their peers and the world around them. Here is glimpse of what is offered to students who participate in these communities:

Mind, Body, Spirit (led by a live-in Jesuit Chaplin and professor, Dr. Michael Maher) :

• Explore and actively pursue physical, emotional and spiritual wellness
• Reflect on and engage in conversation regarding the Gonzaga Ethos
  • Respect for oneself and others
  • Respect for property and authority
  • Honesty and Integrity
• Examine various forms of  spirituality, faith, and religion

Service and Leadership:

• Understand the relevance of Servant Leadership and stewardship within the  Jesuit Mission
• Explore and actively pursue various ways to serve and lead those in need
• Reflect on and engage in conversation regarding your role as a leader in and impact on the community

Sophomore Year Experience (supported by a Housing & Residence Life staff member):

• Explore and actively pursue area of study and/or career options through services offered at GU
• Reflect on your experiences and proactively plan for your future
• Intentionally seek out opportunities to be involved within the Gonzaga community 

Global Engagement (supported by a live-in Italian professor, Dr. Torunn Haaland):

• Develop intercultural communication skills and reflect on yourself as global citizen
• Actively promote social justice and participate civic engagement within and outside the community
• Seek out opportunities to explore and experience cultures different from your own

Moreover, there is an academic component tied with some of the living-learning communities. Students in the Service & Leadership community are required to take a Service Learning course that integrates learning in and out of the classroom with a service project; students give 20 hours of their time to service in the greater Spokane community. Currently, the students enrolled in the English Service Learning course, is working with a local organization that supports teaching English to adolescent refugees living in Spokane. Through this and many other opportunities, students make meaning of their college experience, thus preparing them to be global citizens who are ready for life after college. The living-learning communities also accomplish many of the Jesuit ideals as well. The idea of “Men and Women for Others” is seen through the service given by students in the Service & Leadership community. Another Jesuit ideal is “Life of the Mind”. This idea comes to light in many ways within the residence halls and living-learning communities. Currently one initiative is engaging faculty with students informally, outside of the classroom. Monthly dinners are held for faculty to reflect and chat with students about life and learning. But more than that, it allows students to see faculty beyond the person behind the lectern; they’re seen as human beings and therefore strengthens and encourages the relationships between students and professors.

One more initiative that will be started in the Spring semester will be the recognition of students who live on campus and make it onto the Dean’s list or the President’s list. President Thayne McCullough will be invited to speak to those students who have achieved academic excellence; following Dr. McCullough’s speech, a pinning ceremony will take place as an appreciation for all of the hard work and effort. Faculty, mentors, family and friends will be invited to this event.

As you can see, much is being done to support the academic pursuits of students who live on campus and it is for this reason and many more that students who live on campus do better academically than those who do not. When you are thinking about whether to move your son or daughter off campus next year, we hope you will keep this in mind.