Poster Session #2: UC Ballroom
Theme Houses at the University of Montana
Presentation Type
Poster
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Neva Hassanein
Faculty Mentor’s Department
Environmental Studies
Abstract / Artist's Statement
Central Question: Can the University of Montana Benefit from a Theme Housing Community? Theme houses provide a unique living-learning environment where students with similar interests partake in a shared, enriched academic experience. Living learning communities (LLCs) can take shape in the form of dorms or residence halls, but a theme house model specifically appeals to a broader demographic than the typical incoming-freshman- targeted LLCs. The physical venue, too, allows for a greater variety of activities, projects and collaborations to take place and can foster a deeper sense of engagement.
The University of Montana has had some success with LLCs in its residence halls and currently exhibits some non-institutionally endorsed student group houses as well. One example of the University of Montana supporting a theme house is the UM Forum for Living with Appropriate Technology (FLAT), which is centered on sustainability. The FLAT has proven to be successful by many measures and the university seems to have many of the ingredients to replicate it to some extent with the added elements of other themes.
The first objective of this project will be to review and analyze what has generally been found in the literature on theme housing. Next, I will profile three schools comparable to the University of Montana that have established theme housing. Finally I will make recommendations for the University of Montana to consider in pursuing theme housing itself.
Theme Houses at the University of Montana
UC Ballroom
Central Question: Can the University of Montana Benefit from a Theme Housing Community? Theme houses provide a unique living-learning environment where students with similar interests partake in a shared, enriched academic experience. Living learning communities (LLCs) can take shape in the form of dorms or residence halls, but a theme house model specifically appeals to a broader demographic than the typical incoming-freshman- targeted LLCs. The physical venue, too, allows for a greater variety of activities, projects and collaborations to take place and can foster a deeper sense of engagement.
The University of Montana has had some success with LLCs in its residence halls and currently exhibits some non-institutionally endorsed student group houses as well. One example of the University of Montana supporting a theme house is the UM Forum for Living with Appropriate Technology (FLAT), which is centered on sustainability. The FLAT has proven to be successful by many measures and the university seems to have many of the ingredients to replicate it to some extent with the added elements of other themes.
The first objective of this project will be to review and analyze what has generally been found in the literature on theme housing. Next, I will profile three schools comparable to the University of Montana that have established theme housing. Finally I will make recommendations for the University of Montana to consider in pursuing theme housing itself.