Lobo Village is announcing two freshman Living Learning Communities in preparation for the University of New Mexico’s implementation of new freshman housing requirements, starting the Fall 2018 semester.
One of the new communities, Lobo Fit, focuses on fitness goals and how students can utilize recreational campus resources. A flyer released by Lobo Village about the communities said that the other freshman Living Learning Community, Lobo Focus, emphasizes academic success for students and the development of peer-to-peer social skills.
Jessika Griego, the area manager for Lobo Village and Casas Del Rio, said Lobo Fit will give students the independence to make their own fitness goals and “support the goals that residents set for themselves.”
Griego said students in both communities will be able to influence them.
“Residents will be encouraged to participate and work with their Resident Advisors to help plan events around the shared interests of the communities,” she said.
While the new Living Learning Communities have different focuses, according to the flyer, both pledge to:
- Be drug and alcohol free.
- Bring attention to mental health.
- Allow students to network.
- Strengthen student leadership and academic success.
Griego said students over the age of 21 living at Lobo Village are allowed to have alcohol, so as long as it is confined to “the resident’s bed space,” but spaces designated for freshmen will remain dry areas, regardless of age.
Lobo Village wants to focus on students’ physical and mental well being. In both Living Learning Communities, Lobo Village will focus on “erasing the stigma around mental health,” she said.
“We will continue to implement additional programs utilizing on-campus resources like SHAC, Agora and other groups and organizations to help us better serve our community and Living Learning Communities,” Griego said, adding that RAs will play more of a supportive role in communicating with residents.
Griego said Lobo Village is preparing for approximately 200 students when the program starts this Fall.
“We felt now would be a logical time to move forward with implementing the new Living and Learning Communities to coincide with the new freshmen-live-on-(campus) requirement, per the University, starting in Fall 2018,” she said.
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While freshman living 30 miles outside of UNM are required to live on campus, students can opt for a standard Lobo Village residency, Griego said. She added that for students that do not opt out, living fees will be the same as those in a standard residency.
Griego said the Living Learning Communities can impact students in more than one way.
“(Students) will benefit from having a positive community that is geared towards their shared interests,” Griego said, adding that the communities will have multiple RAs who will work to improve the living experience for students.
Avery Diercks, a sophomore at UNM, started living at Lobo Village this year. He moved from Casas Del Rio for more privacy and better cooking areas, he said, adding that he is interested in the Living Learning Communities.
“It could be pretty cool, because I definitely focus on academics, and my roommates are kind of…not so focused on academics, so I can see the benefits in it,” he said.
Anthony Jackson is a freelance reporter with the Daily Lobo. He can be contacted at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @TonyAnjackson.
