Facilitated Learning Resources
The Resource Center is staffed by our Program Advisers (aka PAs) to work with hall staff members to plan educational experiences and community-building activities in residence halls.
Find the hours and more information here.
Community Engagement Model
The Community Engagement Model is an intentional framework that puts student learning at the forefront of the residential experience at James Madison University. Residence Life is committed to designing and maintaining a caring environment that encourages academic success, respect, personal growth, and responsibility to one's community. This model, guided by the goals below, seeks to support the Res Life mission and cultivate a residential learning environment that fosters learning beyond the classroom.
Cultivating Self Awareness
Students today face an array of choices concerning their developmental journey through college. Self-Authorship, the ability for one to internally generate beliefs, values, identity, and social relations, helps students make sense of these choices. This sense of purpose informs, among other things, a student’s social network, major choice, and career aspirations. We believe that a residential environment is the ideal space for students to explore who they are and want to become. Self-awareness, particularly around issues of identity, values, and personal needs, prepares students to navigate a dynamic world with confidence and a sense of direction.
Building Relationships
The changing complexion of our campuses demands that students develop the necessary skills to engage across differences. A student’s first encounter with someone who is different than them can disrupt their understanding of the world and ability to interact with others. This disruption causes dissonance and often results in unproductive and sometimes harmful conversations. We know that students who interact and effectively engage across differences become more complex thinkers and develop mutually beneficial relationships. A residential environment is the optimal place for this growth to occur.
Engaging with the Community
Engagement, or participation in educationally effective practices inside and outside of the classroom, is an important indicator of student success in college. When students are meaningfully involved in the classroom and participate in extracurricular activities, they are more likely to persist at an institution through graduation. Exploring campus resources and involvement opportunities is a key component of our curricular approach. We provide intentional opportunities for students to develop skills and make meaning of their involvement on campus.
