Residential life is key to a rich college experience. As colleges and universities enhance and redefine student life programming, they require more than anecdotal evidence to support their substantial investment in live/learn environments. As designers and engineers, we expect the student life spaces we create to encourage individual and community growth, balancing programmatic requirements with what students need to get the most out of their college experience. To advance our knowledge and provide the data that our clients require to make informed decisions, we are conducting research that closely examines the impact of our designs on student success. Which elements foster intellectual curiosity? How do neighborhoods of public and private spaces develop camaraderie and loyalty that lasts beyond graduation? What constitutes an effective live/learn environment? Our research is assessing the measurable correlations between residing in such environments and student success - in college and after graduation - as defined by a variety of factors including GPA, involvement in sports and extracurricular activities, and alumni giving.
