Academic Programs

Special Interest Housing Communities for 2008-2009

• Arts/Architecture &Graphic Design CMW 3W
• Business JST C6
• Engineering & Computer Science CMW 4E and JST A2
• Entrepreneurship TBH 4N
• Family Housing SSR 5
• Health Professions Exploration PSR 3, 4 SRH 7 and CMW 4W
• Honors JST B Tower, CMW 1W and CMW 2W
• LAS Career Exploration CMS 5and JST C4
• Men's First Year Experience CMS 3
• Nursing SSR 16
• PAP CTY 1W
• WISE JST A3
• Women's First Year Experience CMS 2, CMW 2E, and SRH 5
• Themed Communities

Providing our on campus residents with an EDUCATIONAL ADVANTAGE…
In our Special Interest Areas, students share ideas, socialize, study, collaborate on projects with classmates, and have FUN together. We hope you’ll choose to be an active participant in one of our dynamic living environments!

Benefits of living in Special Interest Areas at UIC:

• Each community has a Peer Mentor who works within the Special Interest Area to aid you in having the best in- and out-of-class experience.
  • Peer Mentors are upperclass students with majors relevant to the Special Interest Area and who work to provide academic resources, coordinate study groups, and meet with each resident one-on-one to create a plan for the year. PMs also provide residents with faculty connections, do rounds in the building to promote academic awareness and motivation, as well as work with outside offices (e.g., Academic Center for Excellence) to provide on-campus residents with an educational advantage.
• Study with others who are in the same major/classes as you!
• Faculty-in-Residence and Faculty Associates who teach in the area/subject of your Special Interest Area are designated to work with your individual community to support you—both academically as well as personally/socially—by providing programs, field trips, tutoring—and much more!
• Programming that offers meaningful and experiential learning, bridging in- and out-of-classroom experience. Possibilities are endless, but include: research opportunities, career planning and development, guest speakers, workshops related to your respective major/career, utilizing Chicago as the extended UIC campus by taking advantage of the numerous cultural and social opportunities, etc.

Arts/Architecture & Graphic Design Community: CMW 3 West and JST 7, Tower C

The Arts/Architecture community is one that was originally designed for students pursuing a major in Architecture. Within this realm, students are able to support one another in coursework and projects. Activities this community partakes in include, but are not limited to: field trips to Architecture firms in the Chicago area, interactive and engaging workshops (e.g., portfolio preparation), and interacting with faculty and alumni on a regular basis through meals and various programs. To add variety and diversity to the Architecture community, the 2008-2009 academic year will incorporate Graphic Design and Arts students into the mix in order to amplify the creativity and ingenuity of the community. As a community, the Arts/Architecture/Graphic Design area will be an exciting, engaged environment where students can learn from one another, as the similarities among these majors/departments are vast. In addition to Architecture-specific programming, there are a number of events that encompass a wide variety of artistic media planned by members of the community. For instance, trips to museums, plays, performances, and much, much more are available to the residents and will be supported by Peer Mentors, Resident Assistants, faculty, as well as Resident Directors who work with the community

Business Leaders of Tomorrow JST C6

The Business Leaders of Tomorrow community is composed primarily from the College of Business. The community is based on the interaction of residents who are in similar courses, which promotes studying together and collaborating on projects. A great complement to the Business floor, the Entrepreneurship community in Thomas Beckham Hall co-hosts many programs with the Business floor, enhancing the experience of students in both communities. Examples of programs on the business floor include, but are not limited to: explorations of co-op, internship, and career opportunities in business as well as opportunities for interaction with faculty members and alumni from the UIC College of Business and business professionals in the Chicago community.

Engineering & Computer Science Community CMW 4E and JST A2

The Engineering community is one that has been an engaged community within Campus Housing since the start of Special Interest Areas, but the Computer Science component is a new concept for the 2008-2009 academic year. Study groups will be created to enhance collaboration among students in the community who share classes/projects and a partnership with the Engineering and Computer Science Departments will assist students academically, as well as with their career development. Activities this community will embark upon include field trips, career-related workshops, interactive programs, as well as interacting with faculty in social as well as educational activities.

Entrepreneurship TBH 4N

This is a dynamic, engaged community specifically for student entrepreneurs who are currently developing business plans and running companies—or those who aspire to do so. The purpose of the Entrepreneurship community is to unite student entrepreneurs and immerse them in an innovative, high-energy environment that promotes the creation, evolution, and implementation of business ideas. Examples of programming and resources provided by Campus Housing for the Entrepreneurship community include, but are not limited to: a library, or “Board Room” for the residents of the community, where books, magazine, and various other resources are kept; various business writing workshops led by Faculty-in-Residence; networking nights with UIC alumni and Chicago-area business men and women; investing programs; and much, much more! The opportunities are endless—are you up for the challenge?

Family Housing SSR 5

Family Housing strives to create an environment that sustains intellectual life, encourages responsible living, provides support services to residents and their families, promotes respect for cultural diversity, and fosters the development of community life. For those who reside in Family Housing, there are wonderful opportunities to be close to other families from the United States and other parts of the world. These enriching experiences will allow you to learn about other people’s cultures and customs, which truly encapsulate the diversity of the world today. Other programmatic initiatives which Campus Housing provides to families in this community are: a family playroom on the floor, various staff who create programs based on resident need and interest, as well as meals with faculty and other members of the UIC Campus Housing community.

Health Professions Exploration PSR 3, 4 SRH 7 and CMW 4W

Interact with faculty in an out-of-classroom setting via workshops, seminars, and field trips designed to enhance your academic experience. Get job search, interviewing, and graduate and medical school information. Floor activities will include an introduction to health-related careers, networking with health professionals, touring local hospitals and alternative care facilities, as well as other activities determined by the need and interest of the community in which you reside.

Honors House JST B Tower, CMW 1W and CMW 2W

The Honors House comprises students who are members of the Honors College. Activities include dinners with faculty, study groups, and social events, such as the annual Honors College Ball. Honors students involved in this community often find themselves collaborating on class assignments/projects, but also going out into the Chicago community to do service-related activities, as well as various Honors College-related events.

LAS Career Exploration Community CMS 5 and JST C4

The Liberal Arts and Science Career Exploration community mission is to bring together classroom and living experiences to provide opportunities for students to discover their abilities and areas of interest and how they relate to potential academic majors and careers. Students entering Liberal Arts and Sciences’ general curriculum may find the Career Exploration Community a particularly engaging, supportive, and stimulating environment in which to begin their UIC experience. Residents from all departments can utilize the resources to identify and prepare for their career, or even to determine what major might be right for them!

Men’s First Year Experience CMS 3

The Men’s First Year Experience community offers a unique opportunity for freshmen male students seeking a strong connection to campus life here at UIC. This residential community was created to facilitate a successful transition from high school life to college living. Residents within the community will be encouraged to participate in a wide range of events, programs and activities—both social and educational—that will enhance their learning outside the classroom. This community is designed to provide students with a residential experience based on leadership that focuses on self-development, communication skills, project and program effectiveness, and group dynamics. The program helps students identify, develop and practice their leadership skills through a variety of activities and involvements in Campus Housing and beyond.
Students interested in FYE do not need to have held a formal leadership role in any organization. Participation is encouraged from any student who wishes to be part of an energetic community that is committed to making a difference.

Nursing Floor SSR 16

The Nursing floor is composed of students from all levels within the nursing school. The goal of the floor is to provide a positive academic and social environment for UIC Nursing students. In addition, The Nursing department strives to create and maintain relations among the students, faculty, and staff. Students have the opportunity to participate in a variety of professional socialization activities, such as the Nursing Students Council, the National Student Nurses Association, Graduate Students Organization, the Honors College, mentoring, research programs, seminars, workshops, and professional Nursing-related conferences presented throughout the United States. There also are opportunities to conduct research internationally, as well as to serve as a Student Senator on the UIC Senate.

President's Award Program (PAP) CTY 1 SW

The university President initiated the President’s Award Program (PAP) to encouraged talented African-American and Latino students to remain in Illinois. In 1991, Native American students were also targeted for PAP. Through the support of PAP, a broad range of services is available for students who are part of this program. Those services include academic advising and tutorial support in college-based settings, such as the College of Business Administration, College of Engineering, Honors College, and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Additionally, three support programs—the Latin American Recruitment and Education Services (LARES), the African-American Academic Network (AAAN), and the Native American Support Program (NASP)—also provide assistance to residents within this community. By electing to live in the PAP community, students find that they create stronger bonds with one another and engage one another in meaningful conversations and learning opportunities via programs, dinners with faculty, as well as interactions with their Peer Mentor and Resident Assistant.

Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) JST A3

The UIC WISE wing offers students a chance to live and connect with other women within the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) majors. The UIC WISE department faculty and staff meet with the residents formally once a month for dinner, but continue to make an impact in the community by providing and attending various social and educational programs throughout the year. The UIC WISE program helps to facilitate study groups for those who reside in the community and, through role modeling and mentoring via the Peer Mentor for WISE, residents create and implement programming based upon their personal, academic, and social needs. WISE is an engaged cohort of women who interact on a variety of levels on their own, but also with the Engineering community in James Stukel Towers, providing networking opportunities and collegiality among a variety of students within Campus Housing.

Women’s First Year Experience CMS 2 & CMW 2E, SRH 5

The Women’s First Year Experience community offers a unique opportunity for freshman female students seeking a strong connection to campus life here at UIC. This residential community was created to facilitate a successful transition from high school life to college living. Residents within the community will be encouraged to participate in a wide range of events, programs and activities—both social and educational—that will enhance their learning outside the classroom. This community is designed to provide students with a residential experience based on leadership that focuses on self-development, communication skills, project and program effectiveness, and group dynamics. The program helps students identify, develop and practice their leadership skills through a variety of activities and involvements in Campus Housing and beyond.
Students interested in FYE do not need to have held a formal leadership role in any organization. Participation is encouraged from any student who wishes to be part of an energetic community that is committed to making a difference.

Themed Communities

Our Themed Communities are a new concept for UIC Campus Housing and will be piloted for the upcoming 2008-2009 year for those floors not designated as specific Special Interest Areas. In an effort to give residents a choice in their living-learning environment, these unique communities will be created by the residents at the start of the year. Based upon personal/social/academic interests of the floor, a theme will be selected and the entire year will be centered upon that concept. Examples of Theme Communities for the upcoming year could be: Health and Wellness/Healthy Lifestyles; Environmental Awareness; Social/Political Issues; Theatre/Music; Study Abroad; Performing/Fine Arts…the possibilities are endless!

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