The College of Education at Ashland University has recently instituted a new program, in order for freshmen education majors to meet more people.

The new program is called The Living and Learning Community, and consists of 25 freshman students. Within this community, the students take the same Accent on Success class, the same linked courses and live in Amstutz Hall. The linked courses, along with the Accent on Success class, give the students roughly six credits, but they also take about nine credit hours outside of these courses. The program lasts for the entire year, and are currently only during the freshman year.

Director of Advising for the College of Education Adam Sikula is in charge of the program. Although this is the first year the College of Education has this program, Sikula has been in charge of Living Learning Communities at other places. He said the program is very beneficial for the students, and helps them connect to more students and faculty.

“It allows them to connect to the College of Education because a lot of the things we do, a lot of the things we talk about in our accent class and enrichment seminars are tied to educational things,” he said. “So they get a sense of what it means to be a teacher.”

Freshman Amy Bollinger is a member of the Living Learning Community, and said she enjoys it. She said being a part of the program has given her opportunities other students may not have.

“Being in the Living and Learning Community has given me the chance to meet new people,” she said. “And I have the opportunity to work with kids more than if I wasn’t in the community.”

The program is also designed with “Enrichment Seminars.” According to Sikula, the students are required to attend seminars discussing educational topics once a month. The seminar topics range from teamwork to opinions in the classroom, social networking to complex situations, and end with a panel of Ashland University graduates who are first-year teachers.

Another aspect of the Living and Learning Community is the service learning element. Sikula and his students work with Osborn Intermediate Schools. The AU students do a plethora of activities with the Osborn students, including going to Springmill Learning Center in Mansfield to do a ropes course and taking the students to an AU football game.

“We’re trying to be mentors to these young kids,” he said.

Sikula said he began recruiting for this program at the summer drive-ins. The Living and Learning Community is not required for freshmen education majors, as they choose to be in the program.

“I allow students to self select into the program,” he said. “So, I called most of these students as they were admitted. It was not based upon gender; it was not based upon discipline; it wasn’t based on high school GPA or ACT. It was simply students self selecting that they want to be involved in this.”

Sikula believes that the Living and Learning Community is very beneficial for not only students, but also AU itself.

“It’s a great selling point to attract students because if they really like AU and this is where they want to go, this is an opportunity that we can offer them that a lot of institutions that we compete with also offer,” he said.