The University of Richmond is home to a lot of amazing programs that strive to enrich its students' experiences while they are undergraduates. In my opinion, these programs don't get enough attention from the student body; many are just too lazy to take advantage of them. This semester, I have been a member of one of the Sophomore Scholars in Residence (SSIR) programs, and it has been one of the best decisions I have made so far during my time at UR.

The SSIR program is a part of the broader Living-Learning Communities that the University offers for first and second-year students; in the coming years, there will be programs offered for all students. In these communities, you live with students with similar interests, and the community programs are created to bring the hall mates together to learn with each other and explore a topic of interest. The SSIR program is a bit different, because it also requires students to take a one unit class in the fall and a half unit in the spring. Every SSIR program also includes at least one trip during the fall or winter break to get an outside-of-the-classroom learning experience.

At first I was hesitant about applying to be in one of the offered programs. Almost all of my close friends were living in South Court, and as much as I heard how nice Lakeview was, I still wasn't sure if I wanted to live with students I didn't know. The fall semester is almost over, and I can say now that living on the other side of campus hasn't been a challenge at all. The walk over the bridge to get to the Westhampton side of campus is scenic, and it's a great calf workout. Although I didn't join the SSIR to live in Lakeview (still would've applied if it was housed in Gray Court), the dorm is an extreme upgrade from Marsh Hall. The best parts about being in an SSIR go beyond the living situation though; it is the people who you are surrounded by and the learning that goes on inside and outside the classroom.

I believe the school has done a good job at selecting SSIR topics that span a broad range of interests. When the program started in the 2009-2010 school year, there were only four communities. Now, there are 10 that focus on topics in music, medicine, environmental science, American studies, and more. If none of the course offerings spark your interest, then there's not much I can say other than get some new interests. However, if one of the courses sounds like it would be something you'd enjoy learning about, there's no reason not to apply. I'm in the Eating Locally, Thinking Globally program and it has been extremely cool to learn about today's food system and the environmental and social problems that come with it. It's not something correlated with my major, but a topic that is important to learn about and something I find very fascinating.

I can't speak for the other programs, but I've thoroughly enjoyed getting to know my classmates through in-class activities, lab sessions (where we've learned how to make cheese), and group projects. A lot of them are people I probably wouldn't have met had I not done the class, and it's never a bad thing to gain some new friends. All the SSIR programs have capstone projects in the spring, which are done in groups, so there is more opportunity to collaborate. The SSIR program strives to take students with different majors and backgrounds, and when we all come together during discussions, it is clear why the diversity matters. To get different backgrounds on each class topic really rounds the whole experience out. Getting multiple perspectives is the best way to learn and to expand your thought processes, and that has been something I'm very grateful for.

The SSIR programs, as well as all the other Living-Learning communities, are some of the best things University of Richmond offers outside of general courses. It is evident by the expansion of these programs that they have been a success, but I still feel there could be increased participation. Between the traveling, the opportunity to collaborate with students of different backgrounds, and just general learning of really interesting topics, the SSIR program has been amazing so far. SSIR info sessions will happen some time early spring semester, and I encourage all first-years to at least go and hear from the teachers who have some great things planned.