STORY BY RYLEE BRETTON
PHOTOS BY MYA MCDONALD
It is the survival of the fittest! Survival of the fittest, don’t you mean survival of the Living Learning Communities? On Thursday, October 24 LLCs gathered on the Custer lawn to participate in the LLC Olympics.
LLC stands for “living-learning community.” These communities are joined by students who either have the same major or have similar interests. These students live together in the same wing of Victor E Village, take classes together, and have other opportunities to bond as a community.
The Olympics were coordinated by LLC Advisor and PAL coordinator Jacki Doughtery. P As a coordinator, Doughtery assists the different LLCs and their PALs. A PAL stands for “peer academic leader.”
To become a PAL, forms were sent out to students who have been involved with a learning community before. They were able to show interest in becoming a PAL and pick an LLC they were interested in being a leader for. After all forms were received, PALs were chosen.
The role of a PAL is to assist an LLC. This can be anything from planning programs to do with their LLC, being there for them as a support system, assisting a faculty coordinator, and so much more.
To bring together PALs and students, the LLC Olympics were created.
“The purpose of the Olympics is to rule which LLC is the best. However, we do hope it is a way for people to have fun and have pride in their own community,” Doughtery said. “We also hope it serves as a way for students to intermingle with other learning communities.”
The Olympics were originally planned to take place during Welcome Weekend. They were postponed to serve as a stress reliever between busy schedules.
The olympics showcased different activities such as “Ships and Sailors,” “FHSU Trivia,” and a “Riff Off.” First through third-place teams won a T-shirt as a prize.
The event was a great opportunity for students within the LLC program.
The event also served as a great opportunity for PALs to not only expand their leadership skills, but also continue to grow closer to their students.
“I liked the olympics, because it gave me the opportunity to participate with my students and also continue to expand my experience as a leader,” said PAL Jennifer Gonzalez. “My LLC also got second, which was pretty cool.”
“The Olympics were a great way to have fun with other LLC members while taking a break from studying,” said LLC Member Mya McDonald. “I really enjoyed the games we played, and I thought they helped us bond better as a community. I played with my LLC, Nightinggale Power, and we won as a team.”
Overall, the olympics provided many bonding experiences for both LLC members and students.