Building Community in Universities

Universities are becoming extremely active in encouraging community in their university and persuading students to become a part of the whole to get the most out of their college experience. This is shown through encouragement to be involved in numerous groups, dorm bonding activities, Greek life, and numerous other organizations offered in all universities.

Building community in your first year of college is viewed and essential to both students and the university according to Katherine
J.
Nevins, Ph.D. “Belonging
is
both
about
being
a
part
of
the
whole, and
about
having
shared ownership of that whole” (Nevins). She is explaining that once students develop a sense of belonging in the university or even in just an organization, they feel ownership of their new found identity and friendships which makes the community as a whole stronger with every new student. “Community building owes allegiance to such well researched pedagogical approaches as collaborative learning cooperative learning
and structured learning communities”(Nevins). She explains through this that community is as much an activity as it is a science. Extended research has developed the system we now predominately known as the common community building strategies prevalent in universities worldwide.

One of the popular focuses of community in college is joining sororities and fraternities or more well-known as Greek life. “I think it builds friendships and bonds that can go beyond college life” (Estrella). The sense of bonding and community in these groups goes beyond mere surface bonding or weekend hangouts, they’re like family to each other creating one of the strongest sense of community on campus. “It can be strength for someone who does not know how to be invol...

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