Honors Living-Learning Community dedication ceremony to be held Oct. 24

October 21, 2009 -- The Honors Living-Learning Community (HLLC) at Arkansas State University becomes the third new facility in the last two months to be dedicated in a public ceremony when the new complex will be unveiled, Saturday, Oct. 24, at 1:30 p.m. The ceremony will be held in the HLLC Courtyard, located between Banks and Danner Streets, off University Loop East. In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be held in the HLLC Smart Classroom Building near Banks Street.

“The Honors Living-Learning Community (HLLC) signifies ASU-Jonesboro’s continued commitment to high quality education,” said Dr. Rick Stripling, ASU’s vice chancellor for Student Affairs. “The HLLC will help us better recruit Arkansas’ brightest and best students who can thrive in a residential environment designed with their educational pursuits in mind. We believe this living-learning concept, developed collaboratively by Student Affairs and Academic Affairs and Research, will be well received by the students, and will make their educational experience here more rewarding.”

The HLLC’s dedication comes on the heels of the recent openings of the Donald W. Reynolds Center for Health Sciences and the Delta Center for Economic Development. All three projects held groundbreaking ceremonies on the same day in May 2008.

“ASU’s academic community is delighted that the Honors Living-Learning Community (HLLC) has become a reality at our university,” said Dr. Dan Howard, executive vice chancellor and provost.  “HLLC provides an ideal environment for the “best and brightest” students to live and interact daily with one another as well as with a number of our exceptional faculty and staff. These interactions provide the necessary and optimal conditions for one important segment of our student population too grow, develop, and learn more than would otherwise be possible in order to prepare them well for advanced studies and the rigors of a globally competitive environment.

“Additionally, the HLLC will enable ASU to attract increasing numbers of extraordinary students who are drawn to universities that offer first-rate honors programs and related learning communities. Importantly, these academically gifted students will also interact with other students at the university, which will encourage them to perform at higher levels, which causes academic benefits for all students.”

The Honors Living-Learning Community, designed by Brackett-Krennerich Architects and built by Baldwin and Shell Construction, is a three-building residential facility and the Honors Smart Classroom Building, enclosed in a courtyard setting. The residence hall houses both first-year students and upperclassmen in the Honors College. The entire complex totals 50,268 square feet. There are 219 beds in fully furnished single and double bedrooms in suite-style arrangement. The area also includes study/social lounges and laundry facilities in each of the three residential buildings.

“The Honors Living-Learning Community concept makes it possible for our students to make learning an integral part of their collegiate experience,” said Dr. Gil Fowler, associate dean of the Honors College.  “They realize that learning is not just a two or three times a week classroom activity.  Learning is interactive and is part of our daily activities.  Just as one matures over a lifetime, we learn by exposure, interaction, and sharing our ideas with others.  The HLLC concept provides just such an atmosphere where students who want to learn and grow can do so in a nurturing, caring environment.”    

In addition, the 2,500-square-foot Honors Smart Classroom Building, the first of its kind in a residential setting on the ASU-Jonesboro campus, is available for Honors courses and innovative programming. The HLLC is a collaborative effort between the Office of Student Affairs, Residence Life, and The Honors College to provide an opportunity for Honors students to live in an environment incorporating a diverse range of academic, social, and cultural experiences.

The classroom will be the convenient setting for special events, meetings, and Honors classes and is only steps away from the residence area.

“In the short time that the HLLC has been open since August, the Honors students who live there have truly made it their home,” said Rebecca Oliver, director of Student Services for The Honors College.  “You can see the bonds that already exist among these students because of the fact that they not only take classes together, but also live and socialize together.  The culture that continues to develop in Honors is a direct result of the distinct sense of identity that students have because of the HLLC.  Our motto is “Live, Learn, Belong,” and our Honors students embody this concept both in and outside of the classroom.”

For more information about the HLLC or the dedication, contact Rebecca Oliver(rsoliver@astate.edu), director, Student Services, The Honors College, at (870) 972-2308.
 

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