By Blake Middleton, Contributing Reporter

The UNF Brooks College of Health recently introduced a living learning community, which aims to unite students interested in pursuing health majors and/or considering a career in a health-related field.

Heather Kenney, UNF’s director of academic advising, said living learning communities allow students with similar academic interests to take classes together and live on the same floor in a residence hall.

Sarah Friswold, UNF’s assistant director for residence life, said UNF adopted living learning communities roughly five years ago and they’ve been expanding ever since.

The academic and social goals for the Brooks College of Health living learning community include the cultivation of leadership skills, as well as the exploration of health professions and resources in and outside of the UNF community, according to the Community Contract students sign upon becoming  a part of the program.

Kenney said these communities help students to succeed academically by creating environments conducive to group work.

Ashton Gaylord, a UNF community health sophomore, said living in the Brooks College of Health living learning community has opened a lot of doors for her academically by allowing her to work closely with advisers and see how health care works.

Gaylord said that the students in the community feel like another family to her and are a group of people she enjoys hanging out with in and out of the classroom.

Friswold said because college campuses can seem overwhelming, living learning communities can benefit students socially by incorporating them into a smaller community.

They also help to provide students with skills relevant to their fields, and there is no additional cost associated with joining one, she said.

UNF offers several other living learning communities including the pre-med career, Coggin College of Business, Healthy Osprey, Honors and Honors L.E.A.D. living learning communities.

Kenney said future plans for living learning communities on campus include promoting increased student interest and improving the ones already in place.

Students can pick up a paper application from student housing if they are interested in becoming a part of a living learning community.

Email Blake Middleton at reporter13@unfspinnaker.com.