The 4-Year Residency Program [22][23]
FAQ's About the 4-Year Residency Program
The Office of Residence Life at Evans-Bossert University is committed to providing a living experience that encourages community development, holistic learning and intellectual growth, and cognitive development. The benefits of living on campus all four years at Evans-Bossert University have remained significant in the overall experience of students, including the opportunity for impactful leadership experiences, increased social interactions, interactions with diverse student populations, higher levels of academic integration and success, and greater access to recreation and dining facilities.
EBU students consider residence halls the place where academic, social, and cultural aspects of their college life are integrated, and as a result community ensues. At EBU, the perceived expectation is that living in a residence hall will lead to a sense of community, where student learning and development is viewed and encouraged in a holistic sense, and interactions with diverse student populations develop essential systems of making meaning of their experiences with diverse populations. [24]
Frequently Asked Questions
Academics
Yes. Studies have found that living on campus is one factor contributing to gains in critical thinking, and that first-year students who live on campus have higher GPAs than students who live off campus. [25][26]
EBU students report that living on campus has helped reinforce their academic interests by finding other students and organizations that align and support their academic success.
Many students will join a living-learning community during their four years. The academically rich setting of a living-learning community has been shown to create more educationally potent environments than traditional residence hall environments. [27] Becoming involved with people with similar interests inside and outside the classroom helps EBU students develop support networks that are instrumental in helping them effectively deal with academic and social challenges. [1]
By marrying the academic and residential environments, cognitive development can be reinforced both socially and academically, students create high-density support networks, and there exists a greater opportunity for values congruence and holistic authenticity.
Social
Studies have shown that living on campus is significantly related to student satisfaction in college women and provides all students with greater opportunities to develop friendships. [28]
EBU students report that living on campus helped not only provide opportunities to interact with and meet other students, but helped them to develop deep, lasting friendships.
Diversity
Several studies have shown that living in a residence hall has a positive effect on the positive development of inclusive racial-ethnic attitudes and openness to diversity. [27] Other studies have shown that there exists a positive correlation between living on campus and a student’s openness to diversity. [29] EBU recognizes that personal values and beliefs help define students’ identities, and we make it our goal to provide a guiding framework for decision making in a student’s life. [30] Our staff is committed to fostering an environment that promotes student-led identity, purpose, and cognitive development.
With 42% of EBU students identifying as diverse (race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, etc.) and students from 41 countries, students are exposed to diverse residential and academic environments. Students report that living on campus increases their understanding of racial and ethnic diversity, as well as their understanding of gender issues. This continues to benefit our graduates, as they continue to prove their readiness for existence and success in working with diverse populations in an ever diversifying world.
Involvement and Leadership
One of the predominant ways to get involved in residence life is by becoming a resident assistant (RA). RA’s have a complex and convoluted role within residence life, and provides significant opportunities across several realms of student development. In terms of cognitive development, though, one of the first challenges to meaning-making systems is determining a philosophy for going about the position. RA’s not only have to perform as agents of the institution and enforce policies, but are also tasked with the cultivation of community in the form of friendships and relationships with their resident peers. [31]
Additionally, RA’s can be impactful in helping residents process their feelings and experiences, both in the residence hall and out. Due to the typically high quantity and quality of contact between RA’s and residents, if RA’s are properly trained and ready to challenge their residents (and fellow peers), RA’s have the capacity and ability to be the greatest agents for cognitive development at an institution.
Another predominant form of involvement in residence life is hall government. Studies of hall government alumni have shown that the challenging experiences, interaction with competent professional staff/advisors, and significance of financial resources for a hall government were the three most impactful outcomes of hall government participation. [32]
The Office of Residence Life at Evans-Bossert University is committed to providing a living experience that encourages community development, holistic learning and intellectual growth, and cognitive development. The benefits of living on campus all four years at Evans-Bossert University have remained significant in the overall experience of students, including the opportunity for impactful leadership experiences, increased social interactions, interactions with diverse student populations, higher levels of academic integration and success, and greater access to recreation and dining facilities.
EBU students consider residence halls the place where academic, social, and cultural aspects of their college life are integrated, and as a result community ensues. At EBU, the perceived expectation is that living in a residence hall will lead to a sense of community, where student learning and development is viewed and encouraged in a holistic sense, and interactions with diverse student populations develop essential systems of making meaning of their experiences with diverse populations. [24]
Frequently Asked Questions
Academics
- Does living on campus help with academic success?
Yes. Studies have found that living on campus is one factor contributing to gains in critical thinking, and that first-year students who live on campus have higher GPAs than students who live off campus. [25][26]
EBU students report that living on campus has helped reinforce their academic interests by finding other students and organizations that align and support their academic success.
Many students will join a living-learning community during their four years. The academically rich setting of a living-learning community has been shown to create more educationally potent environments than traditional residence hall environments. [27] Becoming involved with people with similar interests inside and outside the classroom helps EBU students develop support networks that are instrumental in helping them effectively deal with academic and social challenges. [1]
By marrying the academic and residential environments, cognitive development can be reinforced both socially and academically, students create high-density support networks, and there exists a greater opportunity for values congruence and holistic authenticity.
Social
- Does students make friends easier by living on campus?
Studies have shown that living on campus is significantly related to student satisfaction in college women and provides all students with greater opportunities to develop friendships. [28]
EBU students report that living on campus helped not only provide opportunities to interact with and meet other students, but helped them to develop deep, lasting friendships.
Diversity
- Does residence life help develop multicultural competence?
Several studies have shown that living in a residence hall has a positive effect on the positive development of inclusive racial-ethnic attitudes and openness to diversity. [27] Other studies have shown that there exists a positive correlation between living on campus and a student’s openness to diversity. [29] EBU recognizes that personal values and beliefs help define students’ identities, and we make it our goal to provide a guiding framework for decision making in a student’s life. [30] Our staff is committed to fostering an environment that promotes student-led identity, purpose, and cognitive development.
With 42% of EBU students identifying as diverse (race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, etc.) and students from 41 countries, students are exposed to diverse residential and academic environments. Students report that living on campus increases their understanding of racial and ethnic diversity, as well as their understanding of gender issues. This continues to benefit our graduates, as they continue to prove their readiness for existence and success in working with diverse populations in an ever diversifying world.
Involvement and Leadership
- How can I get involved in the residence halls?
One of the predominant ways to get involved in residence life is by becoming a resident assistant (RA). RA’s have a complex and convoluted role within residence life, and provides significant opportunities across several realms of student development. In terms of cognitive development, though, one of the first challenges to meaning-making systems is determining a philosophy for going about the position. RA’s not only have to perform as agents of the institution and enforce policies, but are also tasked with the cultivation of community in the form of friendships and relationships with their resident peers. [31]
Additionally, RA’s can be impactful in helping residents process their feelings and experiences, both in the residence hall and out. Due to the typically high quantity and quality of contact between RA’s and residents, if RA’s are properly trained and ready to challenge their residents (and fellow peers), RA’s have the capacity and ability to be the greatest agents for cognitive development at an institution.
Another predominant form of involvement in residence life is hall government. Studies of hall government alumni have shown that the challenging experiences, interaction with competent professional staff/advisors, and significance of financial resources for a hall government were the three most impactful outcomes of hall government participation. [32]