Whether it’s down the road or halfway across the world, moving away from home and embarking on the journey of a college education can be daunting. Among the many new experiences that await, integrating into a new social circle and finding a sense of belonging can seem overwhelming.

At Knox College, Living Learning Communities (LLCs) offer a unique opportunity for first-year students to connect with both their academic and social communities. For the 2024-25 academic year, seven LLCs were designed to foster an immersive environment where students live together in the same campus suite while also taking their First-Year Preceptorial (FP) courses together. This setup, located in Post and Campbell/Elder residence halls, encourages collaborative learning and social engagement.

Vice President for Student Development MarQuita Barker explained that LLCs serve as an important bridge between applying to Knox and stepping onto campus. By forming communal connections during the summer, students can feel more at ease with their suitemates, building deeper bonds before even arriving on campus. Grouping students by their FP course interests, which are selected via a summer interest survey, immediately aligns them with a shared academic focus.

“LLCs help create a sense of community. We want these connections to make students feel comfortable during the summer and ease their transition into college life,” Barker said.

LLC suites remain together throughout the entire first year, even after FP courses wrap up at the end of the fall term.

Seven Living Learning Communities were offered to this year’s entering students, all centered around the following First-Year Preceptorial courses.

• Challenges of Sustainability and Resilience
  Taught and advised by:
  
  • Associate Professor of Anthropology-Sociology William Hope
  • Director of Campus Sustainability Initiatives Tina Hope
• Creating Monsters
  (Two Sections)
  Taught and advised by:
  • Associate Professor of English Chad Simpson
  • Associate Professor of Spanish Fernando Gomez
• Democracy and DisInformation
  Taught and advised by:
  • Professor of English Emily Anderson
• Human Rights
  Taught and advised by:
  • Associate Professor of Political Science Duane Oldfield
• Myth and Modern
  Taught and advised by: 
  • Associate Professor of Classics Hilary Lehmann
• Science Fiction and Human Identity
  Taught and advised by:
  • Associate Professor of Modern Languages & Literatures (Spanish) Tim Foster

Leading the Way

This year, Knox has expanded its LLC offerings to include seven different groups—its largest number yet. Faculty advisors lead each LLC while teaching the connected FP course, providing academic and personal guidance throughout the year.

Faculty leaders have embraced the LLC model, noting its profound impact on students’ academic and personal growth. Alongside teaching their FP course, faculty leaders also serve as advisors for each student involved in their LLC through their first two years. Combining the student experience in the classroom with opportunities to interact one-on-one as individuals creates a unique perspective of the Knox education pathway for first-year students.

“For faculty, being an LLC advisor helps see students as whole individuals,” Barker said. Mar Armstrong ’28, who is enrolled in Associate Professor of Modern Languages Fernando Gomez’s Creating Monsters class, appreciated the opportunity to meet with her LLC advisor regularly. She explained that she looks forward to her advising appointments with Gomez, as the regular interactions have built a meaningful connection.

Associate Professor of Political Science Duane Oldfield, who leads the Human Rights FP class, highlights the diversity in his class, noting students from the United States, Japan, Pakistan, and Nepal. Their varied perspectives enrich discussions on immigration and asylum. “LLCs can help in a variety of ways,” he said. “They are particularly good for promoting learning beyond the classroom.”

For Oldfield, the LLC experience allows him to introduce students to local culture by organizing visits to art events, film screenings, and nearby historic sites, which add depth to his human rights curriculum.

The Student Experience

Oreoluwa Precious Ilori ’28 values the extra support she gets from living and studying alongside classmates. Although her FP course is just a portion of her term’s load, the study sessions and conversations in the LLC have made bonding easier. “Living with my classmates has helped me connect with them more closely—I know their majors, interests, and backgrounds,” she said.

For Oreoluwa, the experience has made making friends easier and has expanded her worldview. She connected with her roommate Olivia Nguyen ’28 months prior to moving onto campus. Having an immediate class friend while navigating the challenges of starting her education helped them adapt together. Nguyen, who moved to Galesburg from Vietnam, explained that joining the LLC has turned into a rewarding opportunity to forge friendships and improve her academic habits. “My roommate helps me stay on track. If she wasn’t always up on time in the morning, I would always be late,” Nguyen added.

Armstrong sought the LLC experience for a sense of familiarity in an unfamiliar environment. “Having friends around, not just in passing but throughout campus, has made adjusting easier,” Armstrong shared. Living with classmates who share her interests, such as environmental science, has helped her build a support system she can rely on.

Tristan Winston ’28, who came to Knox from California, was curious about the cultural exchange within the LLC. So far, he has enjoyed learning about his suitemates’ diverse backgrounds, from religious customs to cooking methods and even sports interests. “It’s exciting to learn about their cultures,” Winston said.

Even students initially wary of group living, like Catalina Kim ’28 from Seattle, have found value in the LLC experience. Kim’s FP course explores cultural perspectives on monsters, and she has enjoyed discussing horror films with her suitemates. “It’s been nice to have a shared experience with my suitemates. It’s become an easy conversation starter,” she said.

Building Community at Knox 

LLCs at Knox are more than just dormitories with shared classes—they are spaces where students support each other through both academic challenges and the personal growth of the first year.

A core vision for LLCs at Knox emphasizes community beyond the classroom. Faculty advisors like Associate Professor of Classics Hilary Lehmann see LLCs as a chance to bridge classroom learning with practical life skills. As an advisor, she helps students navigate Knox’s registration systems and academic planning, integrating guidance alongside her teaching. Her class explores how modern authors of color reinterpret ancient myths, prompting students to reflect on identity, race, and culture.

For her international students, many of whom hail from Vietnam, living in an LLC offers a structured community and a “home feel” that can ease their transition to college life in the U.S. “LLCs give structure for incoming students. It has a home feel to it and gives them a base where they belong, even if it’s not necessarily people who look like them,” she added.

Gomez, whose class delves into cultural anxieties through horror films and literature, also sees LLCs as an opportunity for students to bond outside of class. His class attended a screening of The Lost Boys at the Orpheum Theatre, discussing the themes of “otherness” portrayed through vampires. Other LLCs took part in trips to regional museums and even day trips to Green Oaks as an opportunity to bond and see local offerings. “It’s fascinating to see how each culture interprets horror, and how those interpretations bring students together,” Gomez said. He shared appreciation for the informal interactions LLCs facilitate, noting how students help each other in ways that extend beyond academics.

As LLCs evolve, Vice President Barker hopes LLCs will serve as an anchor for retention and success at Knox. “The built-in community offers a support network that fosters both academic and social growth,” Barker said. “We hope that this helps students build lasting relationships with their peers and faculty throughout their time at Knox.