Living Learning Communities

The CASEP Leadership Living Learning Community (CLLLC) is open to incoming first year students, current CASEP cohort students, and CASEP alumni planning on a career in teaching. The goal of the CASEP Leadership LLC is to offer additional leadership opportunities for CASEP students who desire to live on campus with a cohort of like-minded students. Selected students will be enrolled in, or have taken, cohort classes, take part in monthly success seminars, and participate in an annual teacher leadership retreat. Students will also attend a mandatory orientation, and agree to participate in check-in meetings throughout the academic year. Students will demonstrate a desire in determining if teaching is the right career choice as they matriculate through university toward graduation from NEIU.

Students expressing an interest in the on-campus housing initiative will complete an application, and participate in an interview session with the selection committee prior to the Fall semester. To receive and remain eligible for the award students must:

• Be admitted to NEIU currently majoring in, or planning to pursue, a degree in education
• Have a FAFSA (or RISE Act State Alternative Application) on file with NEIU
• Maintain a full-time course load of at least 12 credits per semester
• Maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher
• Be enrolled in (or have taken) CASEP cohort classes both fall and spring semesters
• Meet regularly with a program-designated academic advisor
• Attend beginning of year orientation and retreat
• Returning award recipients may be eligible for additional support in subsequent years, subject to availability of space and funds.

Program Lead: Jeremy Babcock: j-babcock@neiu.edu

The College of Business and Technology LLC is open to incoming freshmen and current freshmen who will be sophomores in 2023-2024 interested in business or computer science majors. Offering an on-campus living experience, the cohort is designed to enhance the living and learning experience by building a sense of community within the college and the necessary leadership skills to excel academically and professionally.

Learning Outcomes/Program Goals

• Acclimate students to NEIU academic services and student resources.
• Create a sense of belonging to the CBT student community.
• Build and develop leadership skills for students.
• Identify career goals and pathways to their attainment.
• Enhance the student living experience with social/professional/community events and activities with like-minded students.

Requirements

• New incoming freshman and current freshmen who will be sophomores in 2023-2024
• Be registered for either BLAW 109, FINA 109, or CS 109 in fall or spring semester of first year.
• Declaration of a pre-major in a CBT major program by the end of the first year.
• If pre-major is known, meet with CBT academic advisor twice per semester.
• Attendance at bi-weekly cohort meetings with Program Director and Graduate Student Liaison.
• Participation in a pre-professional student organization aligned with your major area of study.
• Maintain full-time course load (12 credit hours) in each semester.
• Participation in planning and service committees for CBT International Business Conference.

Program Lead(s): Vlad Fernandez: v-fernandez1@neiu.edu, Program Director, College of Business and Technology Student Development Services and the Coordinator of Advising and Outreach, CBT Office of Program Advisement;

The Discover Yourself @ NEIU Living Learning Community is a leadership development program designed for first-time, full-time freshmen aspiring to be student leaders. Over the course of the year you will have the opportunity to meet influential university leaders, develop personal leadership skills, and create a network of colleagues.

By joining, you will discover your passions, strengths, leadership potential, career goals, and how NEIU can support you during your first year of college and beyond. More importantly, you will discover yourself at NEIU.

The Discover Yourself @ NEIU Living Learning Community is cultivated through an on-going partnership with Student Leadership Development. Students will be paired with advanced student leaders who will also be living in the community.

Learning Outcomes

Participating fully in the Discover Yourself @ NEIU Living Learning Community, you will be able to:

• Identify your values and passions
• Articulate your strengths, and learn how to use them in class and with peers
• Discover how to connect your passions and strengths to potential majors and career paths
• Develop leadership skills and apply them within student organization, service work or other areas in the NEIU community
• Learn about campus resources and be able to direct peers to them

Requirements

The program requires participation in each of the activities listed:

• Attend beginning of the year orientation and retreat
• Attend 8 week non-credit class in the fall
• Attend monthly workshop
• Attend monthly check ins with SLD staff
• Participate in at least one service event a semester
• Join at least one student organization
• Complete assessments and personal reflections throughout the year
• Maintain a full-time course load of at least 12 credits per semester
• Maintain a 2.0 GPA

Program Lead: Sarah Paulis: s-paulis@neiu.edu

Campus Partners: Career Development, Learning Success Center, Alumni Relations, Campus Recreation, Health and Wellness, Counseling Center 

The Future Teachers Living Learning Community is designed for NEIU students admitted to the Goodwin College of Education (GCOE) and those preparing to become teachers. Over the course of the year, you will have the opportunity to interact and learn from other teacher candidates in a community environment. You also will have opportunities to participate in school-based service projects, engage in professional development activities, and meet Goodwin College of Education faculty and Chicago area teachers and school administrators. This program is pre-service teachers who are juniors and seniors.

By joining the Future Teachers Living Community, you will develop a network of peer educators, GCOE faculty and Pk-12 teacher mentors, and Chicago area school administrators. You will enhance your teaching skills and knowledge of the teaching profession and Pk-12 schools.

Learning Outcomes

Students who participate fully in the Future Teachers Living Learning Community will be able to:

• Identify their strengths as a teacher and how best to use their strengths to further children and youth’s academic and socioemotional learning.
• Enhance their understanding of the challenges of today’s teaching profession and schools and how to effectively meet these challenges.
• Better understand community organizations in the Chicago area and the important role they play in supporting students and their families and advocating for improved schooling.
• Gain knowledge of how to obtain their first full-time teaching position.

Requirements

The Community requires participation in each of the activities listed:

• Required to enroll in a 1-credit course each semester that meets approximately twice per month and includes assignments/projects aligned with teaching
• Beginning of the year LLC orientation
• Attend monthly check-ins
• Attend monthly professional development events
   

Program Lead: Kimberly Maljak: k-maljak@neiu.edu

Partners: GCOE faculty, instructors, and administrators; Chicago area teachers and school administrators; Chicago area community organizations. 

Incoming high school and transfer students admitted to the University Honors program and current UHP students. If you are not yet in the UHP, you must be admitted to the UHP to participate in the Honors LLC. Apply to the UHP.

Learning Outcomes and Goals

• Support Honors students in their transition to NEIU
• Encourage a sense of belonging to the Honors LLC community
• Understand the resources available at NEIU and how to access them
• Provide a community living experience that supports students’ academic success and interests
• Identify what students may want to do while at NEIU and after graduation
• Promote the integration of learning across courses and involve students with bigger questions that matter beyond the classroom

Requirements

• Attend beginning of year orientation
• Enroll in 1-credit course in the fall that focuses on preparing students for academic and personal success at NEIU. Students who have taken this class in a prior year will attend to share their experience with new students as informal peer mentors.
• Attend Honors LLC retreat at start of semester 
• Complete weekly or monthly reflections 
• Attend one workshop a month (out of 3 possible per month)
• Attend one semester outing (out of 2 possible per semester) 
• Academic Decathlon volunteer (spring semester) 
• Volunteer for one additional event at NEIU or in the community
• Attend social events when possible
• Maintain good academic standing in the University Honors Program

Program Lead: Jon Hageman: j-hageman@neiu.edu

Campus Partners: McNair Scholars Program, MARC U-STAR Program, Student Center for Science Engagement, Student Health Services, Career Development, Learning Success Center/Center for Academic Writing, Student Counseling Services, Campus Recreation, Financial Aid/Scholarships Office, Honors Advisory Board and Honors Teaching Faculty, Alumni Relations.

The Social Justice Leadership Program provides the opportunity for incoming full-time students to spend two semesters learning about numerous social justice issues through courses, guest speakers, on-campus events and off-campus outings.

Learning Outcomes

Students who participate fully in the Social Justice Leadership Program will be able to:

• Demonstrate increased understanding of their own individual and group identities, and be able to articulate how their identity impacts their experiences with others
• Respond to people who have different identities with empathy, respect, understanding and connection
• Analyze how power and privilege create bias as well as institutional and systemic oppression
• Identify key people and movements that have led to greater equity among people
• Recognize one’s own responsibility to speak out against exclusion, prejudice and injustice
• Practice collective action to bring about greater Inclusion and equity

Program Description

• Students will take a fall course that provides an introduction to social justice concepts and to issues such as racial justice, gender equity, immigration and citizenship, LGBTQ+ rights, rights for people with disabilities, housing security, economic justice and issues of policing and mass incarceration
• Students will take a spring course that includes leadership training and projects that provide hands-on experience with creating social change
• Course instruction will be supplemented by a monthly campus event or outing related to social justice, such as a museum exhibit or theatre performance
• Students will meet at least three times per semester with the program coordinator to receive support for academic and personal challenges

Requirements

To be eligible to apply for the Social Justice Leadership Program, students must meet the following criteria:

• Be an admitted first-time freshman or transfer student in an NEIU degree program
• Maintain a full-time course load of at least 12 credits per semester
• Enroll in a social justice-related course for both the fall and spring semesters
• Meet individually with the SJLP Coordinator three times per semester (beginning, middle and end) to discuss your academic progress, needs for support, and future plans
• Attend beginning of year orientation and retreat

Program Lead: Cristen Jenkins: c-jenkins2@neiu.edu

Campus Partners: Additional support for the program is provided by Student Leadership Development faculty teaching social justice-related courses, and community organizations.

The Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) Living Learning Community (LLC) is designed for NEIU undergraduate students who are interested in pursuing careers related to Science, Technology, Engineering and/or Mathematics. Over the course of the year, you will have the opportunity to interact and learn from other students in a community environment. You also will have opportunities to participate in school-based service projects, engage in professional development activities, and meet successful professionals in academia, government and/or industry. This program is for students who are freshman, sophomores, juniors and/or seniors.

By joining the STEM LLC, you will develop a network of peer leaders and mentors. You will enhance your skills and knowledge in STEM fields and learn about different scholarships, career opportunities and internships across the country and in the world.

Learning Outcomes

Students who participate fully in the STEM LLC will be able to:

• Identify their academic and professional strengths and how best to use their strengths to further their career.
• Enhance their understanding of the challenges of today’s STEM professions and how to effectively meet these challenges.
• Partner with students who have similar interests and create a support and community network.
• Gain knowledge of how to obtain paid internships and experiences to enhance their resumes.

Requirements

The Community requires participation in each of the activities listed:

• Beginning of the year LLC orientation.
• Community outreach events 
• Attend biweekly or monthly professional development events such as major/career exploration events and guest seminar speakers.
• Register for the STEM LLC course
• Meet a minimum of two times a semester with the program leads to receive support for academic and professional challenges.

Program Leads: Cindy Voisine, Associate Professor in the Department of Biology (c-voisine@neiu.edu).

Partners: College of Arts and Sciences faculty, instructors, and administrators; NIH-Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) scholarship program; Student Center for Science Engagement (SCSE)