Missouri State’s living-learning communities, or LLCs, have been instrumental in bringing students of similar interests and academic backgrounds together to help them build a strong network of supporters on campus.

This year, there’s a new LLC on campus and it’s a little different.

Global Community builds cultural, educational bridge

The Global Community was created to connect American students with international students through residential and academic life. After spending a semester (or hopefully a year or longer) together — participating in activities and study groups — students in this LLC will develop a deeper understanding of either culture.

Madeline Hooper, modern and classical languages professor, global studies director and Global Community partner, said those connections are crucial to bridging the divide between the two student groups.

“I’ve noticed international students who come to Missouri State have a difficult time connecting with American students,” Hooper said. “And American students are sometimes reticent to connect with international students. Global Community is aiming to facilitate cultural exchange.”

Educational, social experiences unite groups

Global Community members live in the Sunvilla Tower and Monroe Apartments. During the course of this semester, they hope to schedule a variety of events that expose international students to American culture and vice-versa.

“We’ve come up with several ideas,” Hooper said. “Movie nights, scavenger hunts, organized sports events, corn mazes and bonfires. We hope to do a mini-Thanksgiving so each student can experience a Thanksgiving dinner. We also want to do a lot of potlucks, giving the students a chance to cook and try different cultural meals. We’ll definitely be experimenting this semester to see what works.”

Find out more

If you’re interested in becoming involved with Global Community, contact Residence Life by email, or call (417)836-3234 for further information.