UA Living-Learning Center Provides Beneficial Experience for Freshmen

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Navigating through the concrete maze of similar buildings, eating three balanced meals and finding a friend amongst the thousands of University of Alabama students are just some of the challenges freshmen must overcome while assimilating to college life.

Administrators within the UA College of Arts and Sciences have developed a living-learning facility called the Parker-Adams Freshman Year Program that is dedicated to making the transition from high school to college an easier and richer experience.

Parker-Adams residents enjoy many exciting academic and social activities associated with the residential program. Through various programs and specific courses, P-A freshmen become acquainted early on with different resources available on campus, like the Center for Teaching and Learning and the Counseling Center. Dr. Larry Bowen, the associate director of the CTL, said he’s heard students say that being aware of these services has really made a difference.

“Parker-Adams students have access to so much information and resources that the average student can’t match,” Bowen said.

The theory behind the Parker-Adams Year has proven to be successful. The average GPA of last year’s P-A class was about a B. Around 95 percent of last year’s P-A freshmen returned to the University this year in good standing.

“There’s a lot to be gained by people living in a place defined as a community,” Dr. Ann Webb, assistant dean in the UA College of Arts and Sciences Office of Student Services, said. Webb feels that this holistic living-learning community is beneficial to freshmen and assists them in discovering their niche at UA.

“Student learning is not confined to the classroom. It’s important that we recognize and support out-of-class learning,” Webb said. Webb wants the students to see that learning at college is not limited to learning about professional interests. She wants the students to see their dorm as a place of learning.

Unlike other living-learning centers on campus (such as the Blount Undergraduate Initiative dorm), students in the P-A Year are not expected to be honors students, although some are. Webb describes the P-A residence hall as a microcosm of the College of Arts and Sciences.

The program attracts a variety of students with diverse backgrounds and interests. They recruit participants by sending brochures to prospective students, attending campus recruiting events and more.

“It’s designed to be a wide spectrum of students so people can meet people totally different from themselves,” Bowen, who is a P-A faculty-in-residence, said.

There are no more than 100 freshmen in the program, six fellows, five resident assistants and two faculty members in residence. David Harwell, one of the faculty-in-residence, is a doctoral student in the English department. The small number of residents attracted many incoming freshmen to the program.

“I wanted to get to know people which probably wouldn’t have happened if I was in a bigger dorm like Tutwiler,” freshman Amanda Baker of Red Level said.

Students interested in the program apply with Residential Life and then apply for the P-A year with the College of Arts and Sciences. Students are screened for admission primarily on a first-come first-serve basis.

The residents gain exposure to the A&S faculty early on. Each student chooses a faculty mentor who volunteers to participate in the program.

“The students get to know that faculty are not scary people,” Bowen said.

In addition to faculty mentors, the students enjoy live-in faculty members.

“When Dr. Webb approached me about living in Parker-Adams, I wouldn’t say yes right away,” Bowen, the P-A faculty-in-residence, said. He moved in during October 2000 and enjoyed the experience so much he sold his house. He said living with the students has kept him young and active.

Most of the students enjoy having the faculty living with them.

“We see them not so much as the dreaded, distant professor. They become mentors, role models and help us become better leaders,” said sophomore Matt Clinton, a P-A Fellow from Montgomery.

P-A residents are required to enroll in AS 101, an introduction class specifically for P-A students. Webb said the real purpose of this class is to make them aware of the different services and programs available on campus. The course requires them to attend some outside events, like a play, lecture or concert being held on campus.

While the P-A Year stresses the importance of campus involvement, it does not forget the most important thing — their grades.

The P-A freshmen also take the same English composition course. Baker said she enjoyed having classes with her P-A friends because if she ever had questions, she didn’t need to look very hard to find assistance.

They also are required to attend four hours of study hall each week.

“It’s nice to take an hour or two out of you day and dedicate it all to studying in a quiet environment,” Baker said.

In addition to resident’s assistants, Parker-Adams also has sophomores who participated in the program. Students in this highly competitive position are able to help freshmen adjust to the University by giving their insight and sharing their experiences with the freshmen.

“The students can turn to me with their problems, and I will do all that I can to help them,” Clinton said. He said the P-A Year was the best thing he did as a freshman and he wanted to ensure more people would have the same experiences. He walks down the halls and knocks on doors to make sure the students aren’t lonely or homesick.

Clinton knows being involved in Parker-Adams was a smart choice.

“I see those students who came with me to UA from high school. They are not as well-rounded as those in the P-A program. They might have good grades but are not socially connected or vice versa,” Clinton said.

“You have a network of people here to let you shine,” he said.