Jewell has not always been an entirely freshman dorm. In years past it was for students of all class levels, like most other dorm on campus. In 2009 the Freshman Living Learning Community (FLCC) was introduced to the west wing of the building with one floor for men and the other for women. In the fall of 2011, the entire building was reserved for FLLC and has been ever since. After their freshman year, and sometimes sooner, students must leave Jewell and live in another residence hall.
There is legitimate research out there which suggests that programs like FLCC are very successful and encourage community and growth for incoming students. I have no doubt that in the schools that this research was done, their information was accurate. However, from my own observations and listening to other students, I question if this program is right for a school like Blackburn College.
By putting a high number of freshmen into one building, we are fostering a high school-like atmosphere from the beginning. Blackburn is small enough and we do not need to encourage more drama. There are few upperclassmen residing in Jewell and almost all of them are members of Residence Life. There is no diversity in terms of class standing for freshmen to turn to.
I believe freshmen should be intentionally placed so that they are spread among upperclassmen. This gives them incredible opportunities. First, it increases their personal connections at Blackburn. Meeting upperclassmen can be scary and intimidating, but when you live next door it is easy to be a friendly neighbor and it is likely that upperclassmen will reach out to them.
Blackburn offers plenty of resources for students, but it is always those resources promoting themselves that we see. For example, the only people encouraging certain study sessions are those specific tutors. When freshmen and upperclassmen are mixed together, a more casual approach to promoting resources can be had. As a tutor, if I tell students to come to my study sessions they will probably be hesitant because they do not know me. However, if an upperclassman were to tell them, “Oh yeah, Veronica is really nice and helped me pass X test,” this suggests that I am approachable and have clearly helped others succeed.
Where are the other opportunities for lower and upperclassmen to mingle? Not work, because upperclassmen have finally reached top-tier jobs. Not events, because upperclassmen (from what I have witnessed) are less likely to attend, especially if they are of legal drinking age. Not clubs, because oftentimes the hierarchy that can develop in a club can lead to distance between older and younger students.
I believe the best opportunities for freshmen can be achieved by mixing them in with older students. In the residence halls where a comfortable, casual setting exists between neighbors, an upperclassman can be a guide and an example (sometimes of what not to do) to younger students. If this creates a more positive, well-rounded experience then maybe our retention rates would increase.