Inclusive and Themed Living Options
Themed Living Communities
Themed Living Communities (TLCs) are "packs" of students intentionally brought together around a common purpose in order to form a deeper understanding of values, discover their passions, and become more invested in the campus community.
Questions? Please contact the Residential Life office at 504.865.2445 or email reslife@loyno.edu.
Residents who are part of a Themed Living Community experience many of the same engagement opportunities and points of connection as non-themed living communities but with these experiences tailored to the community’s specific theme. In addition to traditional residential educational strategies, TLC residents also benefit from TLC-specific educational strategies such as TLC signature events and the potential to have a student mentor through the Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) Honor Society Mentorship Program. Finally, each TLC has at least one campus connection expert, a staff member from a department related to the TLCs theme, who collaborates with Residential Life to develop the TLC’s curriculum and provide additional opportunities for thematic engagement.
As a Residential CORE initiative, Themed Living Communities use thematic elements to meet the same learning goals as other Residential Curriculum initiatives:
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Civility through Community Engagement
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Orientation toward Jesuit Values
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Responsible Self-Authorship
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Essential Skills for Personal & Academic Success
TLC Applications are due June 1st!
If you are interested in the LEAD, TRIO, or Transitions Themed Living Community, you must complete a separate Themed Living Community Application. If you are in the Honors program, you will automatically be placed in honors housing; To opt out of honors housing, please email reslife@loyno.edu.
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On May 1st, TLC applications will be made available to first-year students. They will be due June 1st.
Tips for your TLC Application
- The more information you provide, the more effectively we can match you with a TLC.
- TLC curriculums are tailored for each cohort, so if there is an experience you would like to get out of your TLC or a topic you would like to explore be sure to indicate this in your application.
- Preferred/matched roommates are much easier to accommodate if they are included in your TLC application and if they have also completed a TLC Application.
- Some Themed Living Communities have additional requirements or prerequisites for participation. Interested students must complete all required applications and/or meet all prerequisites for both the Office of Residential Life and the associated program to be eligible for that TLC.
- Residents will be notified if they have been offered a placement within a Themed Living Community via their my.loyno.edu email address at least 4 business days prior to housing assignments being released. In order to assure we can adjust assignments in a timely manner, students who choose to opt out of their TLC assignment must notify the Residential Life Office within 2 business days of receiving their assignment offer.
Our Themed Living Communities
Looking for a supportive community as you navigate college life? The PAWS Community is designed for students who are first-generation, have a disability, or come from a low-income background—as well as anyone who wants to grow as a leader. This community provides mentorship, academic support, and leadership development opportunities to help you thrive at Loyola.
Who Can Join?
This community is open to students who:
- Are interested in leadership development and campus involvement
- Are first-generation college students
- Have a disability
- Come from a low-income background
Campus Partners
- Student Success Center (TRIO & First Gen Programs)
- Student Life & Ministry
- Omicron Delta Kappa (Leadership Honor Society)
Key Features
- A focus on academic success
- Leadership development opportunities
- Mentorship and networking programs
Criteria to be considered: All residents are eligible to apply for the PAWS TLC; applicants are considered based on the strength of their application and the quality of their application essays.
Are you an Honors student looking for a community of academically driven peers? The Honors Community offers a space where you can connect, collaborate, and grow with other students in the Loyola Honors Program. Take advantage of exclusive programming, mentorship opportunities, and a supportive environment designed to help you thrive.
Who Can Join?
This community is open to students who have been admitted to the Loyola Honors Program.
Campus Partners
- Honors Department
- Honors Club
- University Counseling Center
Key Features
- Residential space dedicated to Honors students
- Exclusive academic and social programming
- Opportunities for mentorship and leadership development
Criteria to be considered: All first-year students are eligible to apply to the University Honors Program. To learn more about the University Honors Program, please visit: http://academicaffairs.loyno.edu/honors/admissions. Residents who have been accepted into the Honors Program will automatically be assigned to the Honors TLC unless they request to be opted out.
Want to make a difference through faith and service? The IMPACT Community brings together students who are passionate about social justice, service, and spirituality. Through service-learning experiences, leadership opportunities, and community-building activities, you’ll explore how to live out Loyola’s Ignatian values while making a meaningful impact.
Who Can Join?
This community is open to all students interested in faith, service, and social justice.
Campus Partners
- University Ministry
- Loyola University Community Action Program (LUCAP)
- Ignatian Life Community
Key Features
- Service-learning opportunities
- Faith-based and social justice programming
- Community-building experiences centered on Ignatian values
Criteria to be considered: All residents are eligible to apply for the IMPACT TLC, regardless of faith identity; applicants are considered based on the strength of their application and the quality of their application essays.
Housing Accommodations
Loyola University believes that community is so essential to the academic experience that we have a 3 year residency requirement. In our residence halls, students are fully engaged with the Loyola community, have access to support services, while learning to share space and be considerate of others.
Some students cannot access Loyola's on-campus living environment for disability-related reasons. Loyola expects these students to make need-based accommodation requests through the OAE office, providing thorough documentation in enough time for OAE staff members to review it. We carefully evaluate all housing requests and work closely with Residential Life to identify appropriate, on-campus living spaces.
Most students’ disability-related housing needs can be met on campus through reasonable accommodations recommended by OAE. If the basis for your request is available on campus, such as a single room or access to a kitchen, please make your request for that arrangement. If there is truly no configuration on campus that can meet your disability-related needs, and you need to request an exemption to the university residency requirement, your documentation must be clearly and thoroughly supportive of this request
In order to request housing accommodations, students must submit a Housing and/or Dining Accommodation Request Form and appropriate disability documentation to the Office for Accessible Education for consideration (note that the documenting clinician should have no personal relationship with the student).
Requests for housing accommodations should be submitted by the appropriate deadline for the fall term:
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Spring 2025 (New/First-Year Students): December 1
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Fall 2025 (Returning Students): March 12
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Fall 2025 (New/First-Year Students): May 1
Deadlines are subject to change, depending on Loyola's academic calendar and policy/procedure changes. Any request received AFTER a posted deadline will be reviewed in the order it was received.
Implementation of approved accommodations will be based on availability and student may be placed on a waitlist.
Requests will be evaluated once all documentation is received by Accessible Education.
Completed requests will be reviewed by the appropriate University officials and a verification of the approved accommodation will be provided to Residential Life by the Office of Accessible Education.
Important information regarding special accommodation requests:
A medical diagnosis does not guarantee or automatically qualify the student for an accommodation. Statements or recommendations from your physician or treating medical professional should not be interpreted as automatic approval of a specific housing accommodation or room assignment.
Students who make requests for single rooms solely for a quiet place for study should instead request a single room in their application for on-campus housing. With so many students living in a residence hall, sharing facilities and resources, a private room does not guarantee a quiet, distraction-free space any more than living in a standard double room. OAE refers the student to an interactive list of quiet study spaces around campus.
Granted accommodations will take priority over a student’s specific residence hall or roommate preference Accommodations are provided for an individual student, not to her/his group or preferred roommates. The student should assess the importance and significance of the accommodation versus preference of roommate(s) or specific residence hall.
If you are requesting an Emotional Support Animal as an accommodation, please make contact the Office of Accessible Education to obtain the necessary information for this type of accommodation request. No animal can be brought to campus prior to approval as an accommodation.
Please contact Accessible Education by email at oae@loyno.edu or phone at (504) 865-2990 for more information and to obtain a Housing Accommodations request form. Learn more about the Accessible Education staff and Accessibility Counselors.