Sample the spirit and support in SMU Residential Commons

Twitter Tag gives a sampling of holiday spirit and community support in the SMU Residential Commons.

SMU Residential Commons

Twitter Tag #SMU12Days gives a sampling of community spirit and support in SMU Residential Commons. Please add your own photos and examples as SMU wraps up its first semester of the Residential Commons model.

SMU Residential Commons

From decking each Residence Commons with pine garlands, Christmas trees and menorahs,  decorating cookies, or enjoying a Korean barbecue dinner, SMU students who live in Residential Commons on campus are embracing the holiday season in a new way. 

Faculty-in Residence opened their kitchens for holiday baking, then invited students in to enjoy cookies, snacks and hot chocolate before walking to the Main Quad for Celebration of Lights. Decorating contests organized by student members of residential councils inspired students to add sparkle to their rooms, floors and hall lobbies. Umphrey Lee and Arnold Dining Commons hosted white tablecloth holiday dinners for each of the 11 Commons.

The holiday spirit extends to one of the most stressful times of university life – finals. Again, Faculty-in-Residence, residential community directors and student leaders have planned study breaks such as pet therapy with residence kittens and dogs, hot chocolate send-offs to exams and freshly baked cookies delivered to study lounges on each floor.

SMU introduced the  Residential Commons model in August 2014 to 11 residence halls, integrating the academic, residential and social aspects of university life. Live-in faculty and staff members, resident assistants and other student leaders have worked together to create communities of support.

For more information, visit http://www.smu.edu/ResidentialCommons

Also see: Residential Commons brings new era to SMU