The Baylor Education Living-Learning Center has changed its name to Impact Living-Learning Center. Located in South Russell Hall, the Impact LLC will maintain the same great programming for students and continue its close association and collaboration with the Baylor School of Education. The new motto is “Educate Today to Impact Tomorrow.”
Impact LLC is open to Baylor students of all majors who share a belief in the power of transformative education as a key element in all disciplines, while providing a special home for students pursuing education as a future profession. Since its opening in fall 2015, the LLC has hosted students pursuing diverse academic paths, with a 90 percent freshman population.
Dr. Michael McLendon, Dean of the School of Education, said, “‘Impact’ genuinely reflects the mission of our School of Education. Students pursuing careers in education do so because they hope to have impact in the world, a desire that is common to all those who feel a calling to their chosen professions. The new name will draw together students from across Baylor who share this sense of mission. The word ‘impact’ clearly heralds the mission and reach of the School of Education and summons students to join us in recognition of the inestimable importance of education as the underpinning to a free and democratic society.”
Impact LLC is located in South Russell Hall.
The concept of “impact” has long been a theme for the Baylor School of Education; it is the name of the School’s Impact newsletter and part of the news blog name, Instant Impact (to which readers may subscribe). It is also reflected in the School’s motto: “Preparing Leaders, Impacting the World, Shaping the Future.”
Impact LLC will maintain popular facility features, including the game room, fitness room and study areas downstairs; the technology-enhanced classroom, conference room and upperclassmen lounge; community spaces on each floor; and the LRX (Learning Resource Center Express) and its color printer, 3D printer, laminating machine and other technology amenities. Impact LLC will also continue its commitment to innovative programming, including student leadership opportunities, mentoring, service projects and community building. Impact LLC leadership engages students in diverse programming that seeks to connect residents to Baylor faculty and staff, the Waco community, and each other in the LLC. Through “Minutes with Mona,” chaplain-led book studies, Community Leader events, and LRX technology demonstrations, our students take part in transformational programming that educates them today so that they can impact the world tomorrow.
“The purpose of our LLC is truly embodied in the word ‘impact,’” said Erin Stamile, current and founding program director of the LLC. “Our goals are to build community and educate students so that they can thrive. We pursue initiatives that will help students be successful at Baylor but also equip them for success after Baylor, as they move on to impact the world and shape the future. This new name reflects the community we have already built and the effect that we hope it will have on the world for years to come.”
Faculty-in-Residence Dr. Mona Choucair frequently hosts student events in her apartment — often with an academic theme and guest speakers and always with snacks.
The Impact LLC will also maintain its program of faculty partnerships. Dr. Mona Choucair, who holds a joint faculty appointment in the Department of English in the College of Arts & Sciences and in the School of Education, will continue as the Faculty-in-Residence. In addition, each hallway in the LLC has a faculty partner who meets with students on the hall several times each semester and often participates in service and other projects that aim to connect students to one another and support networks at Baylor.
“The faculty partner program has been meaningful for School of Education faculty who have taken on this volunteer role,” said Dr. Larry Browning, professor and chair of the Department of Curriculum & Instruction. “These informal gatherings allow students and faculty to interact outside of a classroom and get to know and understand each other on a deeper level, expanding the impact of the students’ educational experiences at Baylor.”
The Education LLC was founded through a faculty-led effort in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction, helmed by Dr. Leanne Howell and Dr. Brooke Blevins in collaboration with Dr. Terri Garrett in Campus Living & Learning. While a central purpose was to provide community for education majors, the mission of the LLC was always broader, encompassing students of diverse majors who believe in the impact of education on every aspect of life and development.
The name change was studied over several months, with several phases of development. Students who live in the LLC provided input through focus groups, surveys and a final online vote on finalist names. Faculty and staff in the School of Education also participated in focus groups, surveys and a final vote. Input also came from LLC partners in Admissions, Campus Living and Learning, and the Office of Student Life.
We are totally comfortable with the new name!
For more news from Baylor School of Education, visit the Instant Impact home page.
ABOUT BAYLOR SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
Founded in 1919, Baylor School of Education ranks among the nation’s top 20 education schools located at private universities. The School’s research portfolio complements its long-standing commitment to excellence in teaching and student mentoring. Baylor’s undergraduate program in teacher education has earned national distinction for innovative partnerships with local schools that provide future teachers deep clinical preparation, while graduate programs culminating in both the Ed.D. and Ph.D. prepare outstanding leaders, teachers and clinicians through an intentional blend of theory and practice.
ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 16,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.