Transformation of Elon University's Residential Experience

As a major initiative of the Elon Commitment strategic plan, nearly $100 million will be invested during the next decade to create one of the nation's most vibrant residential campuses, fully integrating student life with the university's outstanding academic programs.

Elon is renowned for active, engaged learning, outstanding faculty and staff, and connecting knowledge with experiences outside the classroom. To further strengthen these foundational elements for learning and development, the Residential Campus Committee is developing a draft plan that is outlined on this website to accomplish the following:

• reconnect living on campus with the core values and functions of the university, and
• re-develop residential communities as intellectual neighborhoods that bridge the residential and academic campus communities; orient and ground students intellectually and socially; and assist students as they develop identity, relationships, competence and purpose.

The result of the committee's work is a plan to create a wide variety of new living-learning and academic theme communities, expanded commons and recreational areas, housing designed for juniors, seniors and graduate students, and dining destinations on campus, up to 1,600 new beds, and renovation of existing facilties. The new housing will include faculty apartments, classrooms and innovative spaces that will allow students to feel more connected to Elon in all aspects of their lives.

This plan includes the following:

• three additional Colonnades residence halls adjacent to Koury Business Center
• five new houses in Loy Center for Elon's fraternities and sororities
• the replacement of Harper Center and Story Center with a beautiful new housing complex next to Lake Mary Nell
• additional Danieley Center facilities
• housing for seniors, possibly located on the Firestation Fields along Williamson Avenue.

These new residences will meet the demand for more on-campus housing and give students convenient access to Elon's extensive library, technology and lab resources, along with cultural and athletics events.

We believe that re-connecting students’ residential experience to every aspect of university life is linked directly to transforming both students’ overall experiences and the climate of the campus. Research indicates a strong residential experience significantly enhances student’s overall educational experiences. In fact, research completed across the country for the past 40 years has consistently shown that students engaged on an active residential campus perform better academically, are more engaged in the life of the campus, have higher graduation rates, and have a stronger affinity with their university as alumni. Additionally, a strong residential experience has been shown to impact the intellectual climate of the campus, helping to build a culture of inquiry and dialogue.