Intentional Learning Communities (ILCs)
Intentional Learning Communities (ILCs) offer students an opportunity to live and work closely with fellow students who share similar interests in order to enrich their college residential experience and/or the larger campus community.
ILCs provide an exciting opportunity for groups of students to propose a purposeful living arrangement that can support intentional community growth and campus programming or service.
Through this program, students identify shared interests and goals, align themselves with a faculty or staff adviser for guidance throughout the year, work towards a deeper understanding of a particular interest area, and provide educational or programmatic experiences for the larger College community. There is no set number of students required on an application, but we have observed that higher levels of team engagement and connections beyond the set ILC residents lead to improved student experience.
Theme ideas may range from sustainability, women’s issues, global issues, volunteerism, spirituality, affinity groups, arts, music, academic program, student organizations, etc.
Click here to check out the story about the Global House ILC.
Past ILC Examples
In the first two years of the program, we awarded ILCs space in independent houses on campus. The awarded communities identified the following passion areas and have provided programming and service based on their goals:
- Alliance of Black Brits (ABB House)
- build a network of educated black men, focused on purposeful living, brotherhood, and service
- Anna Howard Shaw Center for Gender Equity ILC
- programming with Students for Reproductive Justice and volunteering at SAFE Place in Battle Creek
- Global ILC
- supporting international students and providing multicultural engagement
- Soul Sister’s ILC
- providing a gathering and meeting space for black students, specifically black women
- Substance-Free Community
- supporting students with a drug/alcohol free environment and shared commitment to substance-free lifestyle
- Sustainability ILC
- exploring sustainable lifestyles and building community collaboration towards solving environmental problems
- Women’s Health: Recognize and Normalize ILC
- considering and advocating for the expansion of women’s health considerations on campus
Eligibility & Application Process
The 2023-2024 Intentional Living Community application process will begin in February, 2023.
Students who are sophomore through senior standing are eligible to apply for ILCs. Fraternity members are not eligible to apply for ILCs.
The process includes workshops and info sessions that were offered to all students across campus, and ongoing mentorship and development with Community Living staff and advisers to develop and build proposals as a part of a group’s ILC application. All current students received email information about the ILC process and an invitation to the ILC proposal workshop.
In ILC proposals, the Office of Community Living invites student groups to create purpose statements, learning outcomes, a pathway for how the learning outcomes will positively impact their community and Albion, as well as partnerships with faculty or staff that will support students in the ILCs.
All students are encouraged to email living@albion.edu for more guidance as needed as they consider the ILC proposal process.
Housing assignments are subject to change based on enrollment, space allotment, and the State of Michigan Executive Orders on Public Health. If your assignment does change you will be notified via email. Students may be asked to consolidate or move to new housing arrangements based on quarantine and isolation needs. In the event of temporary closures, restrictions, and/or adjustments to the academic schedule, Albion College shall not be obligated to issue refunds or credits, whether partial or full, for such interruptions or adjustments.