Honors Living Learning Community staff Marta Elena Esquilin Engelbert Santana Serafina Smith

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1 Established in 2015, the HLLC is an innovative RU-N initiative that is revolutionizing honors, cultivating talent, and engaging communities. The HLLC is redefining the notion of honors by creating intergenerational and interdisciplinary learning communities comprised of students, faculty, and community partners focused on tackling some of the nation s most pressing social issues. Dynamic students are selected to join a living-learning community and intergenerational network across all intersections of identity focused on cultivating knowledge, fostering understanding across and within groups, and activating social, institutional, and cultural change. Honors Living Learning Community staff Marta Elena Esquilin Associate Dean of the Honors Living-Learning Community Assistant Professor of Professional Practice, American Studies Engelbert Santana Assistant Dean of Advisement Serafina Smith Assistant Director of HLLC Admissions The HLLC is a transformational college access program that is broadening pathways to college for promising local talent and re-imagining the academy The HLLC endeavors to increase access to higher education for academically promising, talented, and civic-minded individuals, some of whom may be overlooked by relying solely on standard academic indicators for college success. Utilizing a holistic admissions rubric, the HLLC identifies exceptional first-year students and community college transfers from Newark and Greater Newark, while also extending its reach to other national and international regions. The HLLC Scholars The HLLC cohorts include students who enroll in postsecondary education immediately following high school graduation, GED recipients, and transfer students who hold Associates degrees from Community Colleges. Examples of HLLC students include, but are not limited to the following: High school graduates First-generation college students Transfer students Veterans Older students General Education Development (GED) recipients Student parents Financially independent students Source: Benefits of Joining HLLC The Honors Living-Learning Community offers a myriad of experiences designed to cultivate personal, social, and academic growth. By engaging a broad base of faculty, staff, students, and external stakeholders with wide-ranging professional expertise, HLLC will allow students to diversify their skill sets and explore new areas of learning. Challenging curricular and cocurricular experiences will expand learning beyond the classroom and integrate it with daily campus and community life. Our honors students will benefit from a number of opportunities: Personalized academic mentoring and advisement Interdisciplinary curriculum dedicated to student success A close community of peers to enrich the college experience

2 Dynamic internships, research assistantships, and community engagement International research and service opportunities Opportunities for leadership and professional development on and off campus Richly diverse experiences with individuals from many backgrounds The Honors Living Learning Cohort We know that developing strong social ties is critical for the adaptation, persistence and happiness of students throughout their undergraduate careers. The HLLC cohort creates an immediate social support group during the first two essential years for HLLC students, as they establish their social and academic roots with the institution. The HLLC cohort meeting is held twice a month and is led by the HLLC mentor and eventually HLLC students. The cohort meeting provides HLLC students: 1. An opportunity to acclimate to the RU-N community and connect with campus resources 2. A place to learn and practice social, academic and leadership skills 3. A safe space for HLLC students to process their undergraduate challenges and successes 4. A strong, smaller community support group within the greater HLLC community Honors Living-Learning Community Curriculum: HLLC scholars participate in a shared interdisciplinary curriculum built upon themes related to local citizenship in a global world. The curriculum promotes critical intellectual inquiry, increases cultural competence, and explores what it means to be a responsible citizen, both locally and globally. RU-N faculty members have been critical partners in the development of the HLLC and will continue to play central roles as collaborators in its growth and success, including the creation of the HLLC curriculum. The HLLC curriculum serves as a second concentration and seamlessly intersects with each scholar s major curriculum, encouraging scholars to critically engage in how local and global issues emerge in their various fields of study. The curriculum also engages HLLC Scholars in existing anchor institution collaborations in Newark, allowing them draw out the local-global connections in publicly-engaged scholarship and education. The HLLC curriculum consists of a minimum of 18 credits in HLLC designated courses (with the timing of courses subject to students' major and/or status as a first year or transfer student). The curriculum includes four core classes and a combination of HLLC inter-disciplinary elective courses taught by world reknown faculty from various academic departments, local community leaders, and public scholars. Learning Goals: 1. Understand the role that local citizens have played in impacting social change locally and globally over time. 2. Learn about how academic scholarship can be used to improve communities. 3. Learn strategies for solving complex social issues by critically analyzing content through an interdisciplinary lens 4. Learn how issues related to citizenship and social equity emerge within various disciplines 5. Apply personal lived knowledge and experiences to course materials 6. Learn from an intergenerational group of students with a wide variety of experiences 7. Learn from citizens and leaders embedded within community organizations about how to apply knowledge to real community issues

3 8. Learn how to work effectively and collaboratively with people from various backgrounds Required HLLC Core Courses: Negotiating Space, Place, and Identities (1.5 credits) 21:526:301 This course is designed to allow scholars to gain insight into themselves, others, and their relationship to the communities around them. Through individual and group activities, scholars actively engage in what it means to be a culturally competent member of a diverse learning environment, and explore issues related to individual power and leadership, social and emotional intelligence, and group dynamics. Voice, citizenship, and community engagement (1.5 credits) 21:526:302 Through student involvement initiatives, special projects, and university collaborations, this course offers a variety of opportunities for scholars to explore and develop their voices, interests, and skills as community engaged citizens. This course challenges scholars to be active participants in the design and implementation of projects that contribute to the greater good of the campus community and help them to enact change based on shared passions and interests. Local Citizenship in a Global World (4 credits) 21:526:303 An intensive semester-long course designed to give scholars an understanding of the impact of local citizenship on social and institutional change over time. Scholars are introduced to, and provided readings and assignments on perspectives of social justice and community activism, how local citizens have impacted social change, the history of Newark, national and international movements on educational reform, and the role of youth in social movements. Guest lecturers from local/national/international organizations speak to issues of school reform, imminent domain, environmental racism, etc. Capstone (3/4 credits) This capstone experience builds upon the foundations of both HLLC 301/302 and Local Citizenship in a Global World (HLLC 303) to engage scholars more deeply in how issues of social inequity can be addressed through the lens of their specific academic disciplines and community-engaged scholarship. Each scholar is expected to create a capstone project to be conducted at RU-N, in a local community (preferably Newark), or at an international site. Scholars may be involved in research projects, intern with local not-for-profits or government agencies, or engage in international academic or service learning projects, among others. Each project will be targeted to high impact, cross-disciplinary community engagement or community-engaged scholarship. Each scholar is guided through this process by a faculty advisor and a secondary faculty "reader." Products of this project are negotiated with and evaluated by the two faculty members for a letter grade. Examples might include, but are not limited to: (1) creation and implementation of a mentoring program for local children, (2) spin-

4 off independent projects in partnership with seed grants (with summaries), (3) research or policy white papers, (4) digital art or media advocacy projects. HLLC Electives Special Topics Courses (9 credits) All HLLC elective courses are focused on themes related to local citizenship in a global world and course offerings vary from semester to semester. HLLC elective courses provide scholars with opportunities for intellectual exploration, as well as an introduction to advanced techniques in critical analysis, research, or fieldwork. Elective courses are intentionally crossdisciplinary and may satisfy requirements in a variety of academic majors. HLLC 301: Negotiating spaces, places, and identities Course Description: The purpose of this course is to allow students to gain insight into themselves, others, and their relationship to the communities around them. Through individual and group activities, students will actively engage in what it means to be a culturally competent member of a diverse learning environment, and explore issues related to individual power and leadership, social and emotional intelligence, and group dynamics. Pedagogical framework: In order to realize the HLLC s mission to provide scholars the tools and skills necessary to be empowered change agents within their own lives and their communities, cultural competency and the ability to work effectively with others across difference is crucial. From Self to Community: Becoming Agents of Social Change The HLLC 301 curriculum is focused on an exploration of the identities, worldviews, and experiences that individuals bring with them into community, how these variables may impact their interactions with others, and their ability to be effective agents of change within their communities. Students experiences will be explored through examining both their internal and external realities, and how these lived experiences influence their cross-cultural interactions. The goal of this course is to create pathways that facilitate learning and understanding between groups. True authentic dialogue is achieved through a process that allows for honest expression of experiences and attitudes, openness to the possibilities that can come as a result of conflict, and a spirit of generosity that acknowledges the messiness of this process. Diane Goodman s Cultural Competency Model for Equity and Inclusion will provide the theoretical framework upon which the course is built. Course materials will follow a progression that allows students to engage the five competencies outlined in the model: Self-awareness, awareness of others, knowledge of societal inequities, skills to interact effectively across difference, and skills to impact institutional change. See Appendix for the model. Pedagogical approach: Each class session is comprised of experiential and catalytic activities that provide the foundation for deep, reflective learning. Through active engagement and reflection, students life experiences and worldviews will provide the content for class discussion and learning. Goals (Based on Diane Goodman s cultural competency framework for equity & inclusion)

5 Increase awareness of self and others: Explore personal values, social identity and backgrounds, narratives, cultural influences, worldviews Explore and understand personal biases Exploring individual relationships to power, disempowerment, systems of power and oppression Learn about the beliefs, values, cultural influences & worldviews of others. Increase cultural competence. Learn the ways in which different social identity groups have experienced empowerment and disempowerment in relation to social systems and structures. Hone individual strengths and skills Develop increased confidence in their capabilities, sense of purpose, positive sense of self, and awareness of their strengths. Learn tools and skills for interacting, living, and working effectively across difference including: conflict resolution & communicating across difference. Learning Outcomes: 1. Awareness of self and others: Through participation in this program, students will develop positively along various social identity continuums and experience an increased sense of pride in, and awareness of their intersecting identities. Through this exploration, students will become more aware of the influence of these social identities on their lived experiences and their worldviews. Within this context, students will also become more aware of any biases they may have towards groups outside of their own, and how these biases have impacted their ability to have authentic relationships across difference. Finally, students will display increased awareness of the intersecting social identities of others and how those identities impact the lived experiences and worldviews of others. Students will exhibit increased awareness of, and pride in their own intersecting social identities/cultural influences Students will be able to identify how those identities have impacted their lived experiences and worldviews Students will display increased awareness of the intersecting identities/cultural influences of others and how those identities impact their lived experiences and worldviews Students will exhibit increased awareness about their own biases and how these biases may impact their interactions with others Students will feel an increased sense of purpose and connection to a larger HLLC community based on shared ideologies, values, experiences. 2. Self-efficacy: Through participation in this course, students will exhibit more confidence in their abilities to make positive change in their own lives and the world around them. Students will exhibit increased confidence in and awareness of their intellectual capabilities and individual strengths Students will be able to identify the values that have the greatest impact on their decisions and passions Students will be able to articulate their sense of purpose and who they want to be as change agents Students will be able to identify at least three personal goals for their college career as HLLC scholars, possible steps for attaining those goals, and obstacles that may obstruct the path 3. Skill Development: Through participation in this course, students will develop soft and hard skills that will enable them to better communicate and interact effectively within diverse communities. Students will also learn skills to be effective leaders in work and organizational settings.

6 Students will be able to identify strategies for communicating and managing conflicts within diverse settings. Students will exhibit an increased awareness of their own and other people s work styles, conflict styles, and leaderships styles. Students will exhibit increased comfort in communicating about their ideas, emotions, and experiences in group settings HLLC 302: Voice, citizenship, and community engagement at RU-N Course Description: Through student involvement initiatives, special projects, and university collaborations, this course will offer a variety of opportunities for students to explore and develop their voices, interests, and skills as community engaged citizens. This course will challenge students to be active participants in the design and implementation of projects that contribute to the greater good of the campus community and help them to enact change based on shared passions and interests. Goals: Building upon HLLC 301, we hope to promote efficacy and active community engagement by asking students to activate around shared passions within the RU-N community. Students will engage in activities aimed at promoting critical intellectual inquiry, and acquisition of new knowledge about topics and issues related to responsible citizenship. Furthermore, students will hone skills that will enable them to become positive agents of change within their university community. Raising awareness about campus history and culture, opportunities for student involvement, student initiatives, special projects, university collaborations, and anchor mission. 1. Increase self-efficacy and community engagement: Through participation in this course, students will exhibit more confidence in their abilities to make positive change in the RU-N community. Ignite students interests and passions as citizens of the university community Assess opportunities for student engagement and action based upon shared experiences and interests 2. Increase knowledge & skill development: Through participation in this course, students will increase their knowledge of the history and unique dynamics that have impacted the campus and student life experience at RU-N. Additionally, students will learn about the the socio-political climate in which we exist and strategies for impacting positive change within our environment. Learn & cultivate individual knowledge and skills necessary for being agents of change in their communities and within the context of an anchor institution Hone leadership skills in the areas of organization, time management, facilitation, public speaking, event planning, and social action planning. Design and implement transformation projects that contribute to the greater good of the campus community Learning Outcomes: Through acquisition of this new knowledge and skill set, students will feel more empowered both within and outside of the RU-N environment. Furthermore, students will be

7 actively engaged in the RU-N community and enrich the campus experience for all students by launching community transformation projects. Projects will build upon themes related to local citizenship and the will focus on positive transformation within the RU-N community. Upon the successful completion of this course students will be able to: 1. Be familiar with the history, culture of student leadership and student life at RU-N 2. Students will be able to identify issues related to the student experience that they are passionate about 3. Students will assess and compile information about the issues being explored through student life at RU-N. 4. Students will understand and successfully compile the various dimensions of the RU-N student involvement experience 5. Students will establish a personalized leadership involvement portfolio-goal 6. Students will be engaged in the campus community and connected to student initiatives happening on campus 7. Students will develop a proposal and execute a community transformation project 8. Students will understand the parameters and model for a executing a community transformation project 9. Students will know how to conduct a community needs assessment 10. Students will know how to create a project proposal including funding, 11. Students will have skills for implementing a community transformation project