IDEAS

The IDEAS themed floor is more than a residence hall; it’s a living laboratory for first-year students who want to build a meaningful intellectual community and share in the exciting journey of self-discovery that college makes possible.  Located in Raoul Hall, the IDEAS floor transforms everyday dorm life into an ongoing dialogue, where first-year students connect what they are learning in the classroom with the experiences that are shaping them as people.

Inspired by the spirit of the IDEAS Fellowship (Interdisciplinary Exploration and Scholarship), a central program of the Institute for the Liberal Arts, this community brings together first-year students from any major who are passionate about thinking across disciplines and integrating their liberal arts education through shared, community-based learning.

The Resident and Sophomore Advisors on this floor are members of the IDEAS Fellowship and design programming that sparks thoughtful conversation, models intellectual curiosity, and cultivates a close-knit, engaged community. Here, late-night conversations move effortlessly from philosophy to physics, from public policy to performance art, from history to environmental studies. Residents challenge one another to think independently, reflect deeply, and approach complex questions from multiple perspectives.

First-year students on the IDEAS floor will be invited to events hosted by the Interdisciplinary Studies and American Studies programs, such as our biweekly Crafting Community series that alternates between a group dialogue on a current event or issue, and a crafting practice that helps students decompress and bond with their peers. Residents of the floor will also have many opportunities to engage with faculty and participate in IDEAS Fellowship events.

On the IDEAS floor, your education doesn’t stop at the classroom door, it comes home with you, shaping not only what you study, but who you become.

For more information, please contact the Director of the IDEAS Fellowship, Dr. Rose Deighton-Mohammed (rose.deighton@emory.edu).