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The Bricks and Mortar of Innovation and Student Success

In February, Old Dominion will hold the official grand opening of the Learning Commons and Student Success Center at Perry Library.

While some guests and dignitaries will be marveling at the modern architecture and new technology for the first time, students have been appreciating all that the spaces have to offer for months.

The leading goal of Old Dominion's strategic plan is to provide students with the tools to succeed. Clearly, the first step toward success happens in the classrooms, with award-winning faculty who bring real world experiences to teaching.

But learning goes beyond classroom walls.

One of the most significant physical resources for student success is the newly opened Student Success Center. Wrapped around Perry Library, it consolidates all the support services that students need to excel - Advising and Transfer Programs, Student Support Services, New Student Programs, Educational Accessibility, Experiential Learning and Testing, Peer Educators Program and the Sophomore Success Program. Additionally, the Honors College, which offers the benefits of a small liberal arts college within the framework of a large, research-intensive university, is housed there.

The Student Success Center brings together all the staff and resources that students need to build their own academic success team.

The Learning Commons brings together library resources, information technology and other services and expertise to facilitate student learning through exploration, collaboration and discussion.

The idea of such a space is still somewhat unique among colleges and universities.

Team-based furniture and flexible workstations give students the ability to configure their own work and study space. We did this to facilitate collaboration and social interaction, but also still support individual study with plenty of quiet spaces.

Of course, such an energetic place needs to be unconventional. It's open 24 hours a day from Sunday through Thursday. And gone are the days where food and drink were off-limits in the library, thanks to Einstein Bros. Bagels.

From iPads, cameras and camcorders available upon request at the help desk to the collaboration rooms, multi-media innovation lab and GIS stations, the Learning Commons features the latest technology that enhances the teaching, learning and research experiences of students and faculty.

Greek philosopher and historian Plutarch noted, "A mind is a fire to be kindled." Our goal at Old Dominion is for the Learning Commons and Student Success Center to be the tinder and your professors to be the spark that help you set the world on fire.

This article was posted on: January 25, 2012