Nearly 150 rising juniors and seniors will this fall become part of the new Spirit of Georgetown Residential Academy, where undergraduates pledge to apply Georgetown’s values in their daily lives and seek a deeper appreciation of what comprises a Jesuit education.
Nearly 150 rising juniors and seniors will this fall become part of the Spirit of Georgetown Residential Academy, where undergraduates pledge to apply Georgetown’s values in their daily lives and seek a deeper appreciation of what comprises a Jesuit education.
The 148 students who value academic excellence and the university’s Catholic and Jesuit traditions were selected for the new living-learning community, which is located in the newly renovated Ryan Hall and Mulledy Hall near Dahlgren Chapel in the heart of Georgetown’s campus.
“The Spirit of Georgetown Residential Academy is an exciting addition to the Office of Residential Living’s already robust living-learning community program,” says Ed Gilhool, Georgetown’s director of residential education. “As our residential program grows, formative programs like our living-learning communities offer students with shared interests and passions the opportunity to learn together, form relationships with their peers and connect their in-class experiences with daily life through interactions with faculty.”
Resident assistants at the new academy will partner with Spirit of Georgetown students to form a community that celebrates and honors the university’s mission, Gilhool explains.
“Through a series of resident-led programs and small cohort reflection groups, residents will seek a deeper understanding of our shared Jesuit values,” he says.
The Spirit of Georgetown joins other living-learning communities at Georgetown, including Living Well, where students commit to living a well-balanced and healthy lifestyle, and Justice and Diversity in Action, which supports students’ efforts for social change and a commitment to grow in knowledge of human diversity.
Mulledy Hall was originally built as a residence for students in the early 1800s, while Ryan was dedicated as a student residence and dining hall in the early 1900s.
The buildings served as a home for the university’s Jesuits for four decades beginning in 1968. The Jesuits’ new residence was built in 2003.
The new residence offers students a number of unique housing options, with housing arrangements ranging from groups of two to nine. The fourth floor of the building will be home to students who want to further explore interreligious understanding.