Integrated Learning-Living Communities

By Marissa McCray ’00, Core Program Assistant

The Core Integrated Studies Program is the oldest ILLC at the University of Dayton.  Core is a challenging 2 ½ year, innovative curriculum that stresses connections between academic disciplines.  Students take carefully-coordinated courses in the humanities, arts, and social sciences that center around a common theme, “Human Values in a Pluralistic Culture,” and that fulfill many Common Academic Program requirements.  Co-curricular arts events, lectures, and other activities related to course content are additional aspects of this unique and challenging program.

Core announced in spring 2017 three Core students won scholarships as part of Fulbright programs.  The University had six semi-finalists from a pool of 17 students, and five of the six were Core students.   The winners were Kira Ogburn, Elizabeth Pedrotti, and Kiersten Remster, and all three are currently abroad in various countries as English Teaching Assistants. 

Fall 2017 brought another steadily rising cohort of 125 new students to the Core Program.  Fall semester kicked off with an ice-cream social for first-year Core students, faculty, and Core student leaders.  Coursework is in full force and students just completed the first major hurdle of the semester—the first exam!

On October 22, first-year Core students will attend the First-Year Arts Immersion:  the Dayton Opera’s performance of ‘The Consul,’ a Pulitzer Prize winning opera by Gian Carlo Menotti. More than this, the director – UD’s own Patrick Reynolds – will gave a lecture on the opera in ASI 110 on October 19.  The immersion event exemplifies Core’s curricular and co-curricular integration of the arts and culture.  Core students in their second and third year of the program will experience guest lectures, speakers, and other course related special events throughout fall semester.

Returning this academic year is Core’s presence in the student neighborhood with a Special Interest House.  The Core House residents on College Park will offer social opportunities, peer support, and community to fellow Core students in all stages of the program.  

Core recently joined social media with a Facebook page to profile students and publicize program news and events.  Core also plans to use the new page to strengthen outreach to alumni and other campus departments and constituents.  Please join the social conversation by “liking” the University of Dayton Core Program on Facebook.

Next summer 2018, Core will embark on a first-ever Faculty-Led study abroad program.  The faculty team of Drs. Roger Crum, Department of Art and Design, Elizabeth Mackay, Department of English, and Anthony Smith, Department of Religious Studies, will lead students on a month long academic and cultural experience in Florence, Italy.  The three integrated course offerings will provide an intensive and expansive learning adventure in the best interdisciplinary tradition of Core.