Living Learning Communities (LLCs)
Perks of Living in an LLC or Affinity Dwelling
Our Living Learning Communities (LLCs) and Affinity Dwellings are residential experiences designed to support students’ academic success, personal growth, and sense of belonging. They provide community through events, conversations, and faculty interaction centered on members’ interests. The goal of these communities is to foster an enriched and supportive living environment that encourages development and success outside of the classroom.
- Faculty-in-Residence serve as dedicated faculty members who reside on-campus and support student development through mentorship, events, and informal interactions.
- Built experiences that allow students to further expand upon their story
- Designated Peer Mentor Support
- LLCs: Peer Mentors are selected based on aligned academic and professional goals, providing relevant and informed guidance.
- Affinity Dwellings: Peer Mentors offer identity-informed support rooted in empathy, awareness, and cultural understanding.
- Access to tutoring, homework supports and study groups within your building
- Specialized community living so students can live among peers who share common identities, or academic interests, cultivating an inclusive and cohesive environment
- Coordinated support network that streamlines support across faculty, staff, and peer mentors to enhance their academic and residential success.
- Weekly community connection hours with your peer mentor to seek support and guidance as you navigate UIC
What is an LLC?
Living Learning Communities are specialized residential communities centered around students’ majors or areas of academic interest. They provide a built-in peer network of students with similar academic goals, creating opportunities for collaboration, academic support, and a smooth transition to collegiate-level learning. Each LLC is guided by a dedicated Peer Mentor who supports residents both academically and personally. Peer Mentors assist with everything from navigating coursework and managing time effectively to building community and addressing interpersonal challenges. These communities are designed to enhance the student experience through intentional events, strong peer support, and close faculty connections. Explore our LLC offerings for the next academic year below.
Future Leaders of Healthcare
The Future Leaders of Healthcare community brings together students from all majors who are interested in the diverse and evolving field of healthcare. This LLC supports students exploring careers in medicine, public health, nursing, health policy, administration, and other related fields. Through specialized events, peer mentorship, and connections with professionals and faculty, students will gain a deeper understanding of healthcare systems, current challenges in the field, and how they can contribute to building healthier communities.
- Located in the Academic and Residential Complex
- Explore ethical principles in the practice of medicine
- Explore potential research and volunteering opportunities in the field of medicine
- Build an academic and professional network
- Engage with peer mentoring, panel discussions, speakers, and social events
- Interact with faculty representing diverse medical specialties and scientific interests
Prerequisite for the community:
- Career path in medicine
- Pre-health
- Pre-dentistry
- Pre-pharmacy
- Hospital administration
If you live here, we encourage you to:
- Join study groups with others on the floor
- Work with your RA to plan relevant events
- Opportunity to participate in tutoring and study groups
Honors
The Honors community is exclusively for academically talented students enrolled in the Honors College. Here, you will find friendships with people of different majors who are focused on high achievement.
- Located in James Stukel Towers
- Engage in exploring various study strategies
- Receive support to fulfill Honors activities such as senior capstone projects
- Attend professional development and stress management workshops
- Learn about research opportunities available on campus
- Build relationships with Honors College Advisors and Staff
- Peer Tutoring and study groups
- Integration with faculty from the Honors College
- Opportunity to participate in tutoring and study groups
Innovate
The Innovate Living‑Learning Community at UIC is a residential program that tailors to engineering students. This LLC brings together future innovators, designers, and developers who are eager to explore how their skills can shape the world and problem solve through technology-driven practices. Through hands-on events, faculty engagement, and peer collaboration, students in Innovate will strengthen their technical abilities, grow their professional networks, and engage in real world applications of their academic interests, laying the foundation for successful careers in STEM fields.
- Located in James Stukel Towers
- Tutoring in the halls
- Students in the same classes make for natural study groups
- Ease of planning events with fellow residents
- Opportunity to participate in tutoring and study groups
Prerequisite for the community:
- Be in the College of Engineering
PAP-STEM
The PAP-STEM Initiative enables President’s Award Program scholars majoring in STEM disciplines at UIC to join a network with their peers and faculty in the scientific community. STEM students conduct research, make connections, and enhance their experience at UIC, while preparing for graduate school and becoming the next generation of scientists and engineers who will shape the world.
To join the PAP-STEM, students are first invited to accept an award and become scholars in the President’s Award Program (PAP). PAP Scholars who intend to major in a STEM discipline (biochemistry, biological sciences, chemistry, computer sciences, earth and environmental sciences, engineering, mathematics, neuroscience, or physics), are interested in conducting research in science and engineering, and plan to pursue graduate education in their STEM field are invited to join PAP-STEM.
Located in James Stukel Towers
Students participating in the PAP-STEM will:
- Build their professional network
- Learn how to study effectively in a STEM discipline
- Benefit from study groups and social activities
- Participate in PAP-STEM seminars led by faculty
- Opportunity to participate in tutoring and study groups
Creators of Community Impact
The Creators of Community Impact community is designed for students interested in preparing themselves to take an active role in addressing inequality and driving positive social transformation. This LLC focuses on community-driven change, and advocacy efforts, offering students opportunities to explore legal systems, engage in critical dialogue, and develop the skills necessary to influence social and structural transformation.
- Located in the Academic & Residential Complex
- Learn about student organizations such as Mock Trial
- Develop relationships to gain internships
- Network with faculty
- Courses taught in the same building
- Opportunity to participate in tutoring and study groups
Ventures in Business and Industry
The Ventures in Business and Industry community is designed specifically for students in the Business Scholars program who are interested in launching careers in corporate leadership, startups, or entrepreneurial ventures. This LLC provides a supportive and collaborative environment where students can connect with like-minded peers, form natural study groups, and begin building the skills needed for success in a competitive business world.
- Located in James Stukel Towers
- Tutoring in the hall
- Students in the same classes make for natural study groups
- Ease of planning events with fellow residents and faculty in residence
- Opportunity to participate in tutoring and study groups
Prerequisite for the community:
- Be in the College of Business
What is an Affinity Dwelling & What is Affinity Group?
UIC has 6 affinity groups on-campus, which are listed below.
- Affinity Groups are identity-based communities open to all residential students; you can join a group at any point in September regardless of where you live. Affinity Dwellings take it a step further: if you want to live among community members who share your identity, you can select an Affinity Dwelling directly in your housing application. Each Affinity Dwelling has a dedicated Peer Mentor who provides identity-informed support and helps residents navigate campus life with intention and care.
La Casa
The La Casa affinity space provides opportunity in bringing together Hispanic and Latinx students to explore their culture, identity, leadership, and develop a rich community of friends.
- Explore a sense of identity with a cultural lens.
- Expand cultural competency by learning about students of diverse identities and backgrounds.
- Engage in directed events and professional connections.
- Develop a sense of community and belonging through shared experiences and culture.
Goals and engagement opportunities for La Casa participants include:
- Tenets: Community, Latinidad/Hispanidad, Culture, and Leadership
- Collaboration with LALS department, Latino Cultural Center, and LARES
Location of the La Casa:
- Located in James Stukel Towers
Get involved and join the La Casa Campus Group!
LEAD-ASIA
LEAD-ASIA stands for Leadership Education and Development for Asian Students in America. It is a rich, transformative community where eastern values meet western principles and interact to synthesize contemporary and holistic student leaders. We hope to reimagine on-campus living by providing a safe, inclusive space to all who identify as part of the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American community, which includes but is not limited to East Asian, South Asian, Southeast Asian, and Pacific Islander identities, as well as multiracial and multiethnic identities.
Specific features and/or benefits of LEAD-ASIA:
We hope to serve students of Asian descent in their academic, professional, social, and cultural endeavors with the hope that they will embrace the different parts of their identities, feel confident and proud of themselves rather than silently suppress aspects of that identity because it is different from the majority culture.
Goals and engagement opportunities:
Resources to cultivate career readiness, share and/or reconnect with Asian culture and heritage, nurturing community to promote self-awareness and a sense of belonging, leadership opportunities, space, and inclusive spaces to socialize or study with each other, and build fulfilling and lasting college experience.
Prerequisites – East Asian, South Asian, Southeast Asian, and Pacific Islander identities, as well as multiracial and multiethnic identities
Location of LEAD-ASIA Dwelling:
- Located in James Stukel Towers
Get involved and join the LEAD-ASIA Campus Group!
Pathways to Black Male Achievement (PBMA)
PBMA is an engagement and retention affinity group that provides intentional programming and seeks to helps students explore what it means to be a Black male on a college campus. PBMA puts an emphasis on culture, heritage, development and counteracting the negative images of Black males portrayed in the media. Everyone can participate in PBMA events regardless of ethnicity or gender.
Pathways to Black Male Achievement (PBMA) represent important affinity groups in our campus community, exemplify the critical importance and value of holding space for students to address diversity, and equity through intentional leadership, bonding, outreach and programming.
Location of PBMA Dwelling: Marie Robinson Hall.
Get involved and join the PBMA Campus Group!
SISTERS
SISTERS is a retention and engagement affinity group dedicated to uniting and developing residents that identify as Black women and non-binary folk in Campus Housing. Through strong sisterhood, participants of SISTERS explore Black identity, hegemonic norms, beauty standards, and empowerment. Everyone can participate in SISTERS events regardless of ethnicity or gender, and programs are open to everyone.
SISTERS represents an important affinity group in our campus community, exemplify the critical importance and value of holding space for students to address diversity, and equity through intentional leadership, bonding, outreach and programming.
This is a gender-inclusive community that allows roommates of any identified gender to live together without having formed a roommate group.
Located in James Stukel Towers.
Get involved and join the SISTERS Campus Group!
Spectrum
Spectrum is a community for students across the full range of gender identities and sexual orientations; a space to explore, connect, and be exactly who you are without apology. Whether you’re still figuring things out or know yourself well, Spectrum offers a residential experience built on affirmation, inclusion, and genuine community
This is a gender-inclusive community that allows roommates of any identified gender to live together without having formed a roommate group.
Specific features and benefits of Spectrum:
- Engage with programs that foster connections between students
- Organize for furthering inclusivity in the residence halls and on campus
Located in Courtyard.
Get involved and join the Spectrum Campus Group!
Bayt Al-Iman
- Located in James Stukel Towers
- Access to study groups and tutoring
- Access to prayer room located in JST
Apply to Live in an LLC or Affinity Dwelling
New Applicants and Returning Residents – How to Apply
Applicants will make their LLC/Affinity Dwelling preference known in their Housing application. Room selection availability will show applicants options in the selected LLC/Affinity Dwelling location only. To update your LLC/Dwelling preference, re-enter your Housing application and edit your selection.