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
The LEAD (Leadership Engagement And Development) community is open to all students who seek to discover their leadership potential by getting involved on campus. The LEAD TLC provides these opportunities through leadership seminars, workshops, and residence hall programs.
Criteria to be considered: All residents are eligible to apply for the LEAD TLC; applicants are considered based on the strength of their application and the quality of their application essays.
LEAD TLC Campus Connection Expert: Kyleah Bell, Assistant Director, Student Life and Ministry
LEAD TLC Signature Event: Lunch & Learn Leadership Seminars
Students admitted to the Honors program may live in a community where they are surrounded by their peers from the Honors program. This placement provides incoming Honors students the benefits of living, studying, and socializing together and the opportunity to participate in the rich array of programs and events designed specifically for first-year students.
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.
Honors TLC Campus Connection Expert: Jonathan Peterson, Director of the Honors Program
Honors TLC Signature Event: Ignatian colloquium class
The TRIO Community is specifically designed to provide academic support and individualized attention to students who meet the criteria of eligibility for US TRIO Student Support Services: students who either (a) are identified as a first-generation college student, (b) have a disability, and/or (c) come from a low socio-economic background. The TRIO TLC provides these opportunities through eligibility-based seminars, workshops, and residence hall programs.
Criteria to be considered: Priority consideration for placement in this TLC is given to students who are eligible for and enrolled in the TRIO program. Students can learn more about the TRIO program here: https://success.loyno.
TRIO TLC Campus Connection Expert: Michandra (My-chan-dra) Washington, TRIO Student Support Services Coordinator
TRIO TLC Signature Event: TRIO Movie Nights
The Ignatian Community is specifically designed to engage students in meaningful exploration of the Ignatian way of life, grounded in communal exploration of spirituality, identity, and service. Students will participate in weekly small community meetings and monthly community-wide events.
Criteria to be considered: All residents are eligible to apply for the Ignatian Living TLC; applicants are considered based on the strength of their application and the quality of their application essays.
Ignatian Living TLC Campus Connection Expert: Hunter Darrouzet, University Minister for Retreats and Small Faith Groups
Ignatian Living TLC Signature Event: Weekly Ignatian Life Community (ILC) meetings
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 Accommodation Request Form/appropriate disability documentation to the Office for Accessible Education for consideration.
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.