An important part of our Learning Communities Program at Old Dominion University is our support for co-curricular activities and events. We provide activity funds for each linked-course learning community that allow faculty to extend the learning environment beyond the four walls of the classroom. There are some exciting events in the works in our communities this semester, like a trip to a local cemetery, a behind-the-scenes tour and team building exercise at a ropes course, and a visit to a thriving community farmer’s market right in our backyard. These are just a few of the things our faculty, advisors, and mentors are cooking up, and we plan to share some of the highlights here at the end of the semester.

Co-curricular activities can enhance the sense of community in the classrooms, one of the things that make our learning communities so successful. They get students and faculty out of the classroom together and expand the learning process by helping students make connections between the things they are learning in their courses and the resources and experiences available to them in the community at large.

If you’re part of a learning community and need help getting your co-curricular activities organized, here are some steps you should follow:

• How does this activity/purchase benefit the learning community and how does it relate to student success?
• What will the cost be for this event?
• Which learning community/communities will be taking part in the activity?
• How many people will be attending?
• What is the proposed date/time for the event?

Think about how the event or activity you have planned benefits the students in your community and how it will ultimately help them succeed.