The Office of Housing and Residence Life, in partnership with multiple academic colleges, presents the Signature Experience for first-year students eager to enhance their academic journey. This opportunity connects students with peers, faculty, and support systems within their field of study.
The Signature Experience integrates residential living with academic exploration, fostering learning both inside and outside the classroom. It's designed to ignite a passion for learning, promote personal growth, and set students on a path to academic success.
Some residence halls house specific Living- Learning Communities (LLCs), grouping students with similar fields of study. However, not all students in these halls belong to that LLC; some may be roommates of LLC members or returning students from different majors or communities.
Students in the LLC share a "Field of Study".
The Signature Experience Cohort is -60 students in connected class sections). These students opt-in and receive a guaranteed placement in the building with their Living-Learning Community.
The Signature Experience is the only program in Housing and Residence Life that guarantees that students will have a bed space in the hall of their LLC, and every Signature Experience program is unique. This program brings the best engagement opportunities out of the partnership and dives into our Living-Learning Communities (LLCs), where a student’s college experience transcends the classroom and extends into their residence hall.
Students interested in participating in this experience will be able to indicate their interest when filling out their Housing Application. Representatives from the participating colleges will select students to participate on a rolling basis based on the timeline below.
Signature Experience Benefits
The Signature Experience program is the only way to guarantee a bed space in your LLC hall. Students will have a guaranteed bed space in the residence hall with the
Living-Learning Community that correlates with the major they've declared through the University or their acceptance to the Honors College.
Signature Experience students receive priority access to various resources and opportunities their Living-Learning Community offers. From educational trips to engaging workshops and co-curricular experiences, you'll have first dibs on enriching activities that complement your academic pursuits.
As a Signature Experience student, you must agree to be paired with another student pursuing a similar field of study. This arrangement fosters a supportive living environment, encouraging collaboration, study, and mutual growth. Typically, your assigned roommate will also be from the same academic college or, in the case of Honors, who is confirmed with the Honors College, promoting connections and camaraderie within your academic community.
As a component of the Signature Experience program, students are pre-registered in major-specific or Honors College course(s) during their first year. The nature of these courses may vary across communities, as they are designed to align closely with the goals and objectives of the respective academic college.
Signature Experience Details
Incoming first-year students admitted and confirmed to the University for the 26-27 Academic Year can begin applying for on-campus housing through the Ball State Housing Portal.
Additionally, at this time, students with a major or Honors status that is part of the Signature Experience are eligible to indicate their participation interest in the Signature Experience when filling out their Housing Application.
We highly encourage students to complete their Housing Application (answer all questions, pay the housing deposit, and sign the contract) as soon as possible.
A limited number of students who indicate their interest in participating in the Signature Experience on their Housing Application will be selected by representatives from the participating colleges. Students will then be notified that they have been chosen to participate in the Signature Experience.
After receiving a Signature Experience offer, you must accept it. If you do not respond, it will be assumed that you are no longer interested, and the offer will be rescinded and given to someone else. If you decide that you do not want to participate, please indicate that in the housing portal so that we can extend the invitation to someone else.
Here is how to accept your offer to participate in the Signature Experience:
Go to the Online Housing Portal Log in with the BSU username and password Click on “Residence Halls” Click the Continue button on the term selector tile You will then be taken to a portal for you to navigate to and accept your Signature Experience Offer.
Please note: The Office of Housing and Residence Life is hopeful the Signature Experience will expand across all LLCs and Academic Colleges in the future.
Questions?
If you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.