The Thorpe Hall resident assistant and Howell senior believes life on campus to be a cornerstone of student success and happiness at Central Michigan University.

“I have been in the res halls since my freshman year and I am a firm believer that they can be one of the best parts here at CMU,” he said. “I think it is the role of the RA/MA staff to create a sense of community and get the residence to bond and feel like they are a part of something.”

The success of residence halls and the programs they put on, Loughrey said, relies on the RAs, MAs, and residence life staff behind it all.

“It starts with the RA's, their energy is what residents follow behind,” Loughrey said. “But, it requires the effort of everyone to not only make the Hall a better place but CMU as well.”

While CMU's residence halls offer students their own sense of community they also provide a variety of resources to help them cope with living alone.

"Each area on campus has a Student Success Center that hosts a counselor in residence, success coach and an academic advisor," said Director of Residence Life Joan Schmidt. "The Towers hosts the writing and math centers. The Towers and East campus also have a community police officer."

Transition programs are provided for students based on what they are facing during the school year. The program is called ‘PASSAGES,’ which stands for Personal, Academic Initiatives, Self-Awareness, Seasonal, Acceptance, Growth, Emotional and Send-Off. Students can learn life skills as well as enjoy their time during it.

“I believe our residence hall students learn how to live on their own, live with people they do not know and learn how to function in a community,” Schmidt said.

Each residence hall has student lounges as well as labs or computer access for students to study and focus in a quiet area. Schmidt stressed the importance of living in a residence hall during a student’s college years.

“It is an opportunity most will never have again and I encourage each student to take advantage of all we have to offer, leadership and employment opportunities, programs, great dining options and the chance to make lifelong friends.”

Schmidt said that research has been done at CMU highlighting the benefits by living on campus as a college student.

Whether it be educational, social based, or promoting awareness on specific issues, there is always something for students to seek out in the residence halls.

“CMU Institutional Research studies have shown that students who live on campus are more likely to make better grades, will be more involved in campus and community activities, are more likely to graduate in four years and will form closer friendships with a wider variety of people,” Schmidt said. “Our resident satisfaction survey results continue to show that our residents are satisfied with their diverse community and living environment.”

Living in a residence hall can prepare students for the future in many ways, Halverson said. The halls give students their very first step of independence in college life.

“Residence halls, while they may appear to limit fun and be all about the rules, are actually about something more,” he said. “It's about finding your footing in a community that is separate from your family, it's about taking the first steps into becoming an independent adult.

"It's about finding a potential within you to give back to a community that gave you a place to call a home-away-from-home.”