Returning students find residence halls a good home

For some freshmen, moving out of the residence halls is the

first thing on their minds.

However, this was not the case for sophomore Alina Mendoza, who

currently lives in Braiden Hall.

“Being so close to classes and everything that is important to

being a student is a huge advantage,” Mendoza said. “It helps you

get involved more on campus because you see everything right

there.”

Mendoza is a resident assistant as well as an active member of

the academically based program Key Plus.

Key Plus is one of many living-learning communities on

campus.

These programs offer students additional living options that fit

specific needs.

A few other living-learning communities include, but are not

limited to specific floors for engineering majors in Allison Hall,

designated floors for the Honors Program in Newsom Hall and a

pre-veterinary medicine floor in Edwards.

Kurt Miller, a sophomore engineering major, said he picked

living in Allison again because he could live on an all-engineering

floor, which is a great advantage for him.

“I really like it. It is a quiet place to study, I have a job at

the front desk, and lots of my friends are here,” Miller said.

Mary Ellen Sinnwell, director of Residence Life, agreed that

living on campus is good for networking.

Oftentimes living on campus opens doors to various job

opportunities on campus.

Such jobs include working at the front desk of a residence hall

or at a dining hall.

“We like to hire students who reside with us because they are

committed to making things better for the community and future

residences,” Sinnwell said.

Taneal Hendrix, another second-year residence hall student, said

some of the other advantages include not having to cook or clean,

not having to worry about parking and monetary benefits.

Sinnwell said 14 percent of students living on campus are

upperclassmen. This has been standard for the last five to 10

years.

“These students know what they are getting into and are making

the choice. They have control over different factors,” Sinnwell

said.

Other factors students control are what hall they want to live

in, who they want to live with or if they have a single room.

Miller said a couple downsides to living in the halls are a lack

of privacy and that it sometimes gets too loud.

Hendrix said she does not plan on living on campus next

year.

“You don’t really have your own space.”

Students sign a contract to live in the resident halls for an

academic year. However, there are some exceptions to this rule,

including seniors who graduate at the end of fall semester or

students who decide to study abroad.