On-campus housing offers a community vibe

By Kelly Cosby

Thursday, February 26, 2009

When it comes to convenience and saving money, on-campus living is ideal. And an added benefit is the community spirit residents find here. The University provides its students with a variety of on-campus housing options, including residence halls, scholarship halls and the greek system.

The sororities and fraternities on campus are known for their sense of community. Although this option is more expensive, students can immediately bond with the other members of their houses. In-house chefs and cleaning services add extra conveniences. Often, students must abide by rules and keep a certain GPA in order to retain residency.

Jeff Davis, Wichita freshman, went greek because of the networking opportunities and encouragement from his family. He said the sense of community among a diverse group of students was spectacular in his fraternity.

“At the house, all the guys are friends, and every one of us genuinely cares about the other,” Davis said. “It’s an awesome place where guys that are like you and guys that really aren’t like you can coexist and have fun, as well as study and run an organization.”

Davis said the sense of community spanned the entire greek system, as well.

“It’s just a great big frat, the greek system—supportive and loyal to all of its members,” Davis said.

The greek system is known for its numerous opportunities for student involvement.

“Here I am, a second-semester freshman, and I’m already on the executive board here at Delta Tau Delta,” Davis said. “There are so many chances to advance your résumé and yourself.”

Now that he’s gotten involved with his fraternity, Davis will continue to live in-house.

“As cliché as it sounds, it really is like living with family,” Davis said. “I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

Although sometimes compared with the greek system, the scholarship halls provide a distinctive type of community atmosphere. Because of an application-based selection process, the halls have a specifically academic focus.

Students accepted into the scholarship halls typically pay about $1,600 less each year than those living in the residence halls, according to the Department of Student Housing. Each of the six men’s halls and six women’s halls houses about 50 students.

“I found girls that are not only my best friends here, but I look at them as my sisters,” said Mary Emerson, Oklahoma City freshman. “They’re the girls who, when you break up with your boyfriend, will stay up with you until 3:30 in the morning. I feel like you just can’t beat the community that you find here. It’s not just a building to me — it’s a home.”

Emerson chose to live in Watkins Scholarship Hall because of the family-style dinner approach.

“I really enjoy that it’s kind of like a small family,” Emerson said. “I look forward every day to going down and eating dinner, and it’s a great way to build new relationships.”

Miller Scholarship Hall, a women’s hall, shares this kitchen setup. Instead of having separate bedrooms, Watkins and Miller halls have two sleeping porches with rows of bunk beds.

A third common on-campus living option is the residence halls. These halls also offer a sense of community.

“I love the huge number of people that you can find surrounding you at any point in the day, because I’m a social butterfly,” said Nathan Hutchcraft, Lenexa sophomore. “My dorm is a close-knit community.”

The residence halls are designed with lobbies on each floor, which emphasize the community feel.

“I love my floor,” said Eileen Remley, Concordia freshman, who lives in McCollum Hall. “It’s very doors-open. I know, like, every girl in my hallway. We do a lot of things together.”

Students living in the residence halls sometimes bond based on a sense of “we’re in this together.”

“The benefits are the closeness and camaraderie that you develop with what seem to be complete strangers,” said Danny Woods, Overland Park freshman. “But as the year goes on, you become good friends,.”

— — Edited by Heather Melanson

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