Living Learning Community

In Drexel’s Living Learning Communities, students live with other students from the same academic program or with similar interests, making it easier to build community and do social and academic activities collectively.

Civic Engagement is defined as “working to make a difference in community life through collective, public problem solving.” The Civic Engagement Living Learning Community (CE-LLC) is a home for students who are passionate about creating a more just world and who would like to further their understanding of social issues, engage in community service and relationship-building, and reflect on their experiences and motivations together with other passionate students. Members of the CE-LLC will participate in workshops, group service experiences, and other activities throughout their first year at Drexel—building community as a group to foster a sense of belonging and collective capacity to make change. CE-LLC members will also explore opportunities to shape their own civic pathway as they continue at the University through academics, engagement on- and off-campus, and leadership opportunities.

The CE-LLC is coordinated by the Lindy Center for Civic Engagement. Student activities will be facilitated by Lindy Center staff, community-engaged faculty and students, campus and community partners, and CE-LLC mentors.

Join Us!

Please check out the Student Life page on Living Learning Communities for more information on how to join.

We welcome all inquiries into the Civic Engagement Living Learning Community. Questions can be directed to Cara Scharf, Assistant Director of Community-Based Learning at the Lindy Center for Civic Engagement at ces337@drexel.edu. Please note that only first-year students can apply to live in this Living Learning Community.

Image: 2021-22 LLC students gather in Bentley Hall with their student mentors.

Meet the Mentors

The following four current Drexel undergraduates and Lindy Center student leaders served as mentors to the 2021-22 Civic Engagement Living Learning Community. Meet the mentors and learn more about how they got started in civic engagement!

the four LLC mentors are pictured in this collage
Image shows LLC mentors (clockwise from top left: Catherine Quinn, Lakshmi Parvathinathan, Maéva Kadjo, and Christina Morris

	Christina Morris Major: Biomedical Engineering Minor: Mathematics Year: Junior “Civic Engagement has always been an important part of my life, and I wanted to continue my service throughout my college years. During my freshman and sophomore year, I volunteered with the US Dream Academy, mentoring elementary school children at risk of incarceration. When COVID-19 unfortunately hit, I had to take a new route to finding a virtual service opportunity. I stumbled upon the Lindy Center and became a volunteer with the Drexel Community Scholars program in my Pre-Junior year. “I am still currently a mentor with the AJ Drexel Autism Institute - Project Career Launch, aiding high school students with Autism in career-focused activities to prepare them for the future. I also have been a member of the Lindy Intentional Community and Lindy Coffee and Community groups, and have done data entry for the entire Drexel Community Scholars program. I look forward to this new role as a Civic Mentor for the Social Justice LLC!”
	Maéva Kadjo “I have been involved in service learning, community service and civic engagement since high school. Through the Lindy Center, I worked as a Drexel Community Scholar and CIVC 101 Teaching Assistant. I have also been involved in the Coffee and Community chats and the Lindy Intentional Community. These activities gave me opportunities to meet community members and have meaningful conversations about civic engagement. I enjoy community building as well as learning about social initiatives and their impact on different communities. I am so excited to be an LLC Civic Mentor!”
	Lakshmi Parvathinathan Major: Biological Sciences (pre-medical) Year: Sophomore “I have been passionate about civic engagement since high school, and the Lindy Center has presented me with a plethora of meaningful opportunities to stay engaged and connect with like-minded peers at Drexel. Through my involvement with the Drexel Community Scholar program and the Coffee and Community discussion group, I have both provided direct service and reflected upon social issues. Outside of the Lindy Center, I serve as a CoAS Ambassador and am involved with TriBeta, Campus Activities Board and numerous immigration organizations. I am grateful to have found an amazing community of students and faculty here at the Lindy Center, and I am very excited for the LLC program!”
	Catherine Quinn Major: Environmental Science Minor: Global Studies Year: Junior I first became involved with the Lindy Center during the spring quarter of my freshman year when I decided to join Drexel Community Scholars. Since then, my involvement within the Lindy Center has only grown. I became a TA for Introduction to Civic Engagement during the winter quarter of my pre-junior year, and with that I began attending more Lindy events, mostly with the Lindy Intentional Community and Coffee + Community. The following spring quarter, I joined the planning committee for Coffee + Community. I am thrilled to take on this new opportunity as a mentor for the very first Community Engagement LLC at Drexel!