First-Year Learning Communities
Learning Communities at Le Moyne can ease some of your first-year-of-college anxieties immediately. Usually connected through a shared major or a special interest, you’ll live with the same students you share some classes with during your first year.
In addition to seeing each other at class and in the residence halls, you and your Learning Community cohort will bond over mentoring, support and career exploration as well. An instant small community!
High School to College Made Easier on the Heights
Le Moyne’s learning communities make the newness of life on the Heights less overwhelming in several ways, both academically and socially.
Make Friends Quickly
Being in class with students who live near you and share your interests is an easy way for you to connect with your classmates.
Get to Know the Faculty
Learning communities offer activities outside of class with faculty in your field of study. You'll form real connections with our faculty, which will build your academic confidence.
Excel in Your Courses
Sharing a few course sections encourages dialogue among students and gives you an opportunity to be involved in study groups.
Feel at Home
The closeness that develops in a learning community helps you get used to the college experience quickly because you are doing things together.
Current Learning Communities
Ideal for: Students majoring only in biological sciences (BIO), Environmental Science Systems (ESS) and Environmental Studies (ENS)
About the Community: This community has been particularly successful for students because it fosters academic success in a challenging curriculum and creates excitement about the study of various aspects of the biological sciences. It encourages students to learn from one another and to have frequent informal interaction with a supportive faculty member. This community of students will live near each other, share coursework and have tutoring opportunities exclusively designed by their faculty.
Ideal for: Students majoring only in biological sciences (BIO), Environmental Science Systems (ESS) and Environmental Studies (ENS)
About the Community: This community has been particularly successful for students because it fosters academic success in a challenging curriculum and creates excitement about the study of various aspects of the biological sciences. It encourages students to learn from one another and to have frequent informal interaction with a supportive faculty member. This community of students will live near each other, share coursework and have tutoring opportunities exclusively designed by their faculty.
Ideal for: Students majoring in a business discipline (accounting, business analytics, finance, human resource management, information systems, management and leadership, marketing and “business undeclared”.
About the Community: CEOs is dedicated to preparing students for a future business career by developing their networking skills through a number of activities. Students will be introduced at various events to people in the Le Moyne community as well as the local business community, where they will discuss opportunities and share ideas. Not only will they develop networking skills, but they’ll also be introduced to a variety of business majors offered at Le Moyne. Students in this community will live near each other and enroll in a dedicated section of a required introductory course for the business curriculum. The work in this course will be supported by tutoring and programming led by an upper-division business major who will serve as a peer advisor.
Ideal for: Students majoring in a business discipline (accounting, business analytics, finance, human resource management, information systems, management and leadership, marketing and “business undeclared”.
About the Community: CEOs is dedicated to preparing students for a future business career by developing their networking skills through a number of activities. Students will be introduced at various events to people in the Le Moyne community as well as the local business community, where they will discuss opportunities and share ideas. Not only will they develop networking skills, but they’ll also be introduced to a variety of business majors offered at Le Moyne. Students in this community will live near each other and enroll in a dedicated section of a required introductory course for the business curriculum. The work in this course will be supported by tutoring and programming led by an upper-division business major who will serve as a peer advisor.
Ideal for: Undeclared students exploring majors
About the Community: For those students who won’t declare a major right away, the Choice community is ideal. This living/learning experience allows first-years to explore their interests and abilities together. Students begin to chart their career roadmap through a series of steps, including completion of TRAC (Discover your True Academic Calling), uncovering personal and academic interests and identifying their strengths that would be a good fit for future careers. Choice students will live near one another and share a section of a required core course. Students will have frequent contact with their advisor throughout the first year. Members of this community traditionally meet over informal dinners and activities, making their time of transition both entertaining and full of profound self-discovery.
Ideal for: Undeclared students exploring majors
About the Community: For those students who won’t declare a major right away, the Choice community is ideal. This living/learning experience allows first-years to explore their interests and abilities together. Students begin to chart their career roadmap through a series of steps, including completion of TRAC (Discover your True Academic Calling), uncovering personal and academic interests and identifying their strengths that would be a good fit for future careers. Choice students will live near one another and share a section of a required core course. Students will have frequent contact with their advisor throughout the first year. Members of this community traditionally meet over informal dinners and activities, making their time of transition both entertaining and full of profound self-discovery.
Ideal for: Students in any major who want to explore their creative writing skills
About the Community: This community will appeal to English and theater majors and creative writing and education concentrators but is open to students in all majors who have experience with or are interested in learning more about, writing creatively via plays, poetry, scripts and other forms of creative expression. In addition, the community will discuss issues related to the artist’s role and new definitions of what it means to write creatively. Students will attend performances, readings and other events to engage and excite interest in writing.
Ideal for: Students in any major who want to explore their creative writing skills
About the Community: This community will appeal to English and theater majors and creative writing and education concentrators but is open to students in all majors who have experience with or are interested in learning more about, writing creatively via plays, poetry, scripts and other forms of creative expression. In addition, the community will discuss issues related to the artist’s role and new definitions of what it means to write creatively. Students will attend performances, readings and other events to engage and excite interest in writing.
Ideal for: Students accepted into the HEOP and AHANA programs and who have completed the programs’ required five-week summer prep program
About the Community: This curricular learning community continues the course work, advising and support services begun in the summer for students admitted to this competitive program. Students will complete a dedicated section of World Civilization, a required core course, and will have the benefit of earning an additional credit through a learning strategies lab to enhance academic success. Students will also benefit from regular counseling and advising from professional staff as well as co-curricular, career development and social and leadership development opportunities, along with support from upper-division peers in the program.
Ideal for: Students accepted into the HEOP and AHANA programs and who have completed the programs’ required five-week summer prep program
About the Community: This curricular learning community continues the course work, advising and support services begun in the summer for students admitted to this competitive program. Students will complete a dedicated section of World Civilization, a required core course, and will have the benefit of earning an additional credit through a learning strategies lab to enhance academic success. Students will also benefit from regular counseling and advising from professional staff as well as co-curricular, career development and social and leadership development opportunities, along with support from upper-division peers in the program.
Ideal for: Students majoring in computer science or physics who are interested in Le Moyne’s engineering programs
About the Community: This learning community provides rich opportunities for students in these challenging disciplines, particularly those considering the five-year bachelor’s/master’s degree in engineering in partnership with Syracuse University. Students will live near each other, work together to master shared coursework and participate in study clinics designed exclusively for them and led by advanced students. Working closely with faculty, students in this community will create a social and academic network to build and maintain enthusiasm for the pursuit of their goals in science and engineering by investigating careers in their field, challenging each other with competitions that test their scientific acumen, exploring their studies in real-world settings and meeting informally with engineering professionals over lunch and dinner.
Ideal for: Students majoring in computer science or physics who are interested in Le Moyne’s engineering programs
About the Community: This learning community provides rich opportunities for students in these challenging disciplines, particularly those considering the five-year bachelor’s/master’s degree in engineering in partnership with Syracuse University. Students will live near each other, work together to master shared coursework and participate in study clinics designed exclusively for them and led by advanced students. Working closely with faculty, students in this community will create a social and academic network to build and maintain enthusiasm for the pursuit of their goals in science and engineering by investigating careers in their field, challenging each other with competitions that test their scientific acumen, exploring their studies in real-world settings and meeting informally with engineering professionals over lunch and dinner.
Ideal for: Students in any major
About the Community: The Middle East and Islamic Studies (MEIS) Learning Community welcomes students interested in the Middle East and North Africa as an important region in this world, as well as the Islamic world at large. Participants will find companionship with like-minded students with a shared interest in the Arabic language and the Middle East, which gave us Judaism, Christianity and Islam as well as Middle Eastern and North African cultures. Participants will enjoy volunteer opportunities with refugee communities in Syracuse, themed cooking nights, films/documentaries, nature hikes and holiday celebrations on campus.
Ideal for: Students in any major
About the Community: The Middle East and Islamic Studies (MEIS) Learning Community welcomes students interested in the Middle East and North Africa as an important region in this world, as well as the Islamic world at large. Participants will find companionship with like-minded students with a shared interest in the Arabic language and the Middle East, which gave us Judaism, Christianity and Islam as well as Middle Eastern and North African cultures. Participants will enjoy volunteer opportunities with refugee communities in Syracuse, themed cooking nights, films/documentaries, nature hikes and holiday celebrations on campus.
Ideal for: Students currently accepted into the dual degree partnership in nursing between Le Moyne and St. Joseph’s College of Nursing or Pomeroy College of Nursing at Crouse
About the Community: Students enrolled in this unique partnership will have the opportunity to live near each other on the Le Moyne campus during their first year as they begin their academic experience. Both commuter and residential students in this community will share enriching experiences, including selected fall coursework at Le Moyne. They’ll attend the same course section of Human Anatomy and Physiology and participate in a weekly A&P study group designed exclusively for the nursing cohort. In addition, they’ll interact with faculty in nursing and the liberal arts and sciences in and out of class. Active participation in this closely knit pre-professional community will give new students a strong foundation for their second year of study when they begin their clinical experience at St. Joseph’s or Crouse while continuing liberal arts core classes at Le Moyne.
Ideal for: Students currently accepted into the dual degree partnership in nursing between Le Moyne and St. Joseph’s College of Nursing or Pomeroy College of Nursing at Crouse
About the Community: Students enrolled in this unique partnership will have the opportunity to live near each other on the Le Moyne campus during their first year as they begin their academic experience. Both commuter and residential students in this community will share enriching experiences, including selected fall coursework at Le Moyne. They’ll attend the same course section of Human Anatomy and Physiology and participate in a weekly A&P study group designed exclusively for the nursing cohort. In addition, they’ll interact with faculty in nursing and the liberal arts and sciences in and out of class. Active participation in this closely knit pre-professional community will give new students a strong foundation for their second year of study when they begin their clinical experience at St. Joseph’s or Crouse while continuing liberal arts core classes at Le Moyne.
Ideal for: Students in any major with a desire to connect with others who share an interest in the performing and visual arts
About the Community: For those interested in the arts, this is your passport to theater, music, dance and visual art at Le Moyne. Be among the first to learn about auditions, arts, group activities and other on-campus events, and travel off-campus with your professors and other students to see professional plays, concerts and museum shows. Connect with upper-division students eager to welcome you to the arts community at Le Moyne. Students intending to major or minor in theater arts or music should plan to enroll in this learning community, as this is your inside track into the visual and performing arts at Le Moyne.
Ideal for: Students in any major with a desire to connect with others who share an interest in the performing and visual arts
About the Community: For those interested in the arts, this is your passport to theater, music, dance and visual art at Le Moyne. Be among the first to learn about auditions, arts, group activities and other on-campus events, and travel off-campus with your professors and other students to see professional plays, concerts and museum shows. Connect with upper-division students eager to welcome you to the arts community at Le Moyne. Students intending to major or minor in theater arts or music should plan to enroll in this learning community, as this is your inside track into the visual and performing arts at Le Moyne.
Ideal for: Students in any major seeking opportunities for discovering their deep purpose
About the Community: Professional Pathways Learning Community is ideal for any student who seeks opportunities to discover their deep purposes and use their time at Le Moyne to prepare for rewarding careers and lives of meaningful success. Students will live near each other, take a shared COR 100 course and participate in three extracurricular group activities that will enrich their social and academic networks. These activities will take place around a shared meal and will focus on career exploration strategies, connecting classroom learning to professional development and discovering how their deep purposes can inform their studies and career paths.
Ideal for: Students in any major seeking opportunities for discovering their deep purpose
About the Community: Professional Pathways Learning Community is ideal for any student who seeks opportunities to discover their deep purposes and use their time at Le Moyne to prepare for rewarding careers and lives of meaningful success. Students will live near each other, take a shared COR 100 course and participate in three extracurricular group activities that will enrich their social and academic networks. These activities will take place around a shared meal and will focus on career exploration strategies, connecting classroom learning to professional development and discovering how their deep purposes can inform their studies and career paths.
Call (315) 445-4275 or email your Class Dean to sign up.
Each learning community is limited to about 20 students.
For the best chance to get your first choice, join no later than May 15. There's no extra fee associated with joining a learning community.
