Engineering Living Learning Communities Students

Specialty Housing Communities

Specialty housing communities bring together people who share a common residential and academic experience. 

Building Community

In any of our specialty housing options, you will experience an environment ideal for building a strong, interconnected support system that will serve you throughout your time at Widener and beyond.

What is a Living Learning or Themed Community?

Living Learning (LLC) & Themed Communities offer students an opportunity to live and learn with peers who share the same passion or lived experiences. In these small communities on one floor within a larger residence hall, students quickly develop friendships.

These residents are provided with opportunities to grow and learn through participation in events, programs, academic study sessions, and networking events with faculty, staff, and invited leaders.

Why request to live in a Living Learning or Themed Community?

  • Your academic success will be supported through a shared interest in academics, social, and cultural issues and activities. 
  • You will experience on-site classes, exclusive programming, and opportunities to interact with faculty and administrators in your residence halls. 
  • You will experience an environment ideal for building a strong, interconnected support system that will serve you throughout your time at Widener and beyond.
  • Our living-learning or themed communities can include an entire residence hall, one floor, or one section.

Who can become a part of a themed community or LLC?

Themed and living learning communities are available for both first year and returning undergraduate students. Some living learning communities require a specific course or membership in an academic program. Please see the available communities for the 2023-2024 academic year below.

CommunityFirst YearReturningAcademic Component
Engineering and Construction Management LLCX Required: ENGR 111 or CMGT 101. 
Business LLCX Optional: MGT 100
1821 Experience LLCX Required:1821 Experience Pre-Orientation Program, FYS course
Honors Program in General Education LLCX Required: ENGL 103, ASC 101
Justice Hall LLCX Optional: FYS course
The Lab LLC X Required: FYS course, PSY 105, & ENG 101 
Nurses Educated TogetherLLCX Required: FYS 101 Nursing Seminar 
The Lambda HouseX Optional: FYS course
Humanities Themed CommunityX None
The STEM Den Themed CommunityX None
Gender Inclusive Themed Community XNone 
Sophomore Year Experience XNone
Gaming Themed Community  XNone

 

How do I apply for specialty housing? 

You can apply for specialty housing via your housing application. If you're interested in participating in a living learning or themed community, you must submit a short essay responding to questions in the specialty housing section of the application. Returning students must submit the information by March 15th and first-year and transfer students must submit by May 15th. Housing in these communities after these dates are available on a first-come, first-serve basis based on the approval of the program administrator for the community and Residence Life.

First-Year Themed and Living Learning Communities

Engineering LLC is a living learning community designed to support engineering students looking to create student groups, network with engineering students and faculty, and explore careers in engineering. Students in this community must be in the School of Engineering or an Exploratory Studies student admitted to pursuing Engineering.

For more information about the Engineering LLC community, please email Mr. Daniel Kiers at djkiers@widener.edu. 

Business LLC is a living learning community that supports future business leaders through curricular, educational programs, and social events. Residents of the community will have the opportunity to live with other business students when starting their business education together and getting involved in the School of Business Administration. Students in this community must be a student in the School of Business Administration or an Exploratory Studies student pursuing Business.

For more information about the Business LLC, please email Ms. Jessica Delaney at jadelaney@widener.edu. 

1821 Experience LLC is a living learning community designed to provide activities and programs that support first-year students in a community environment as residential students. The LLC is open to students who participate in the 1821 Experience Pre-Orientation program including enrollment in the FYS 101-A3 section.

For more information about the 1821 Experience LLC, please email Ms. Kortne Smith at kasmith1@widener.edu.

The Honors Program in General Education LLC is a living learning community that requires completing courses in ENGL 103 and ASC 101. The Honors Program LLC provides an enhanced academic and educational programming experience within the context of the general education program. Participants must be members in the Honors Program General Education program.

For more information on the Honors Program General Education LLC, please email Dr. Mark Graybill at msgraybill@widener.edu.

Justice Hall LLC is a living learning community dedicated to supporting students interested in a variety of topics related to social justice and criminal justice. Co-curricular experiences include tours of local social and criminal justice agencies, learning about social justice careers and more!

For more information about The Justice LLC, please email Dr. Thomas Wilk at twilk@widener.edu

The Lab LLC is a living learning community comprised of first year students from a variety of majors who intend to pursue a doctorate in physical therapy or occupational therapy at Widener. Students must be enrolled in a pre-physical therapy or pre-occupational therapy pathway program to participate.

For more information about The Lab LLC, please email Dr. Thomas Wilk at twilk@widener.edu.

Nurses Educated Together LLC is a living learning community designed to provide a shared experience for pre-licensure nursing students in their first year to assist in their transition to a collegiate nursing student. Students in this community must be a first-year student in the School of Nursing. The benefit of the LLC Nurse Educate Together program is that our students can participate in diverse programming that complements the classroom while addressing personal development, academic skills, and success in the nursing profession.  

For more information about the Nurses Educated Together LLC, please email Mr. Justin Johnson at jcjohnson@widener.edu.
 

The Lambda House is a gender-inclusive themed community for first-year students located in the 505 House on campus intended as an affirming and supportive space for LGBTQIA+ students. Amenities in the house include gender dynamic bedrooms and all gender bathrooms. There is also a satellite office for Multicultural Student Affairs staff and the Sexuality and Gender Alliance (SAGA) student organization. There is an optional first year seminar available for members of this community.

For more information about The Lambda House, please email Dr. Sage Milo at smmilo@widener.edu

Humanities Themed Community is a community of students interested in any aspect of the humanities (English and creative writing, history, modern languages, philosophy, visual and performing arts). Students majoring in one of the fields in humanities represent a unique community at Widener allowing for a unique opportunity for first year students in the humanities programs to form a strong community together through a shared interest.

For more information about the Humanities Themed Community, please email Dr. Paul Goldberg at plgoldberg@widener.edu

The STEM Den is a STEMulating themed community for first-year students that have a general interest interested in science, technology, engineering, and math.

For more information about The STEM Den, please email Dr. Loyd Bastin at lbastin@widener.edu.

Returning and Transfer Themed and Living Learning Communities

Sophomore Year Experience Themed Community is a themed community intended for students in the second year at Widener who are interested in increasing their involvement at Widener, strengthening their study skills, and further exploring career options.

For more information in the Sophomore Year Experience Themed Community, please email residencelife@widener.edu

Gaming Themed Community is a themed community intended for returning students interested in video, board, and table top games. Programming in this community will feature opportunities to connect with others students sharing a similar interest hosting in a common area space featuring spaces to support gaming.

For more information on the Gaming Themed Community, please email residencelife@widener.edu

Gender Inclusive Housing

Widener University’s Office of Residence Life provides housing options for residential students of all gender identities to live as neighbors in the community. This is often referred to as coed housing. Depending on the community, students may be assigned to housing where there is a single-gender floor or gender is divided by wings of the floor. 

Gender Inclusive Housing provides students the opportunity, without regard to gender identity or legal sex, to live together in the same room or wing. Students must agree or actively opt into this option on their housing application. Students will not be randomly assigned to Gender Inclusive Housing.  There are two options for residential students to participate in Gender Inclusive Housing at Widener, either in our themed housing communities or within our gender dynamic housing options.  

The Lambda House, located on E. 13th street, is a first-year student house. This community features satellite offices for the Sexuality and Gender Alliance (SAGA) student organization and a Multicultural Student Affairs professional staff office. The community is a traditional-style residence hall featuring all-gender bathrooms, double and single bedrooms, and a large community gathering space on the first floor with a kitchenette. Housing in this community is gender dynamic and includes all gender bathrooms.

For more information about The Lambda House, please email Dr. Sage Milo at smmilo@widener.edu.

The gender-inclusive themed community for returning undergraduate students, located in New Hall, is a floor in a traditional-style residence hall. It features an all-gender bathroom and a large community space on the floor. A floor in this community is gender dynamic and includes all gender bathrooms.

For more information, please email Dr. Sage Milo at smmilo@widener.edu.

Gender-dynamic housing exists in all housing style options on campus for both undergraduate and graduate students. This option allows students to select a roommate or be matched with a roommate interested in living in Gender Inclusive Housing. This may include those who have different gender identities. Bathrooms in these communities vary and may include single-occupant bathrooms shared by residents or a multi-stall bathroom identified as all-gender. First-year gender dynamic housing is available in Sharples Hall.