Prior to joining the Walden learning community, I used to have a limited view of a learning community as nothing more than a virtue or physical network of friends with similar interests and drivers in life. Although my description was valid to the extent of sharing similar interests and drivers in life, I have now come to realize that a learning community can be described as a unique and transformative way that assists students with similar academic objectives and personal needs to connect their living and learning experiences at the learning institutions, hence assisting in their transition to college life.
In this context, the Walden learning community has assisted me not only in developing a supportive network composed of peers, faculty and staff, but also in connecting with professors in and outside of classroom, developing lasting friendships, and experiencing events designed specifically for my personal and academic needs. Courtesy of the Walden learning community, I can say with objectivity that my residency experience in campus has been ecstatic not only in terms of surpassing the challenges of college life, but also in assisting me to meet new friends, enhancing my learning experience by being a member of a residential community which supports my academic and personal growth, and having a good time while at the university.
Owing to the fact that every member of a learning community must play an active role in the hope of broadening their perspectives and understanding of the world around them, I have accepted the responsibility of fostering peer-to-peer support for learning, with the view to maintaining a clear and consistent focus on shared objectives within our learning community. Although this role requires considerable effort particularly in convening regular meetings with other members of the community, I must say that it has been instrumental in complimenting my classroom experiences and in laying the foundation for me to become better prepared to succeed in life beyond the university.
The benefits that I hope to gain by joining the Walden learning community include (1) boosting my chances for academic success by providing a framework to share intellectual experiences with my peers, (2) developing close personal relationships with other students in the classroom with common interests and facing similar academic demands, (3) enhancing my GPA, (4) triggering greater involvement on campus and in professional management-oriented organizations, (5) easing my transition from high school to college, (6) enjoying a small college atmosphere but nevertheless benefiting form a large university’s resources, (7) developing a personal relationship with faculty members and academic advisors at the university, and (8) providing an opportunity for me to make connections with my university and explore career opportunities in my field of study as a freshman.
Lastly, as already mentioned in this paper, joining the residency using the learning community framework has obvious benefits for students. At a personal level, I hope to benefit from the residency in terms of meeting and residing with new friends with similar objectives and academic demands, improving my learning experience and capacity by being a member of a residential community which supports my academic and personal growth, residing in a secure and supportive environment which has the capacity to ease the transition from home to college, discovering and appreciating diversity, learning to live more independently, and experiencing personal growth and development at a fundamentally important phase of my life.