While living on campus offers the convenience of being closer to PNW, many students say the community it builds is the real prize.

University Village, PNW’s dormitory in Hammond, roughly houses 12% of students in two residence halls, Peregrine and Griffin. For its residents, these two halls act as the heart of many activities on campus, including picnics, movie and game nights, as well as contests. 

Korey West, director of Housing and Residential Education, said residents are encouraged to go beyond the four walls of their dorms.

“Our resident assistants have the responsibility to develop and put on a certain number of events each semester to help students connect with each other … to pull them out of their comfort zone,” West said. 

“We often refer to ourselves as teachers of life,” she said. “We want to help [residents] learn how to do laundry, make home-made pizza [and develop] study skills. But we also help them deal with conflict or crisis and… hopefully guide them successfully through the challenges that college life brings.”

 Students say the sense of community makes them feel more connected to one another and PNW.

Sophomore Glory Seals, an Integrative Human Health major, believes living on campus is important to experiencing PNW.

“I wouldn’t enjoy PNW as much if I didn’t live on campus,” she said. “I feel like when you’re a commuter you’re just going to class and going straight home or to work and missing out on the best moments on campus.”

Grey Ruiz, a junior English Writing major, was once a commuter student but moved on campus and agrees.

“I was … a commuter student during my freshman year, but now I feel … more a part of the school,” Ruiz said. “I am able to get more involved in events because of the easy accessibility. Being at the center of campus, you’re right in the action.” 

West said the dorms are attracting more students.

“We are becoming more popular as we are seeing students coming to us from further away- outside of Indiana,” she said. “Athletes make up almost 25% of our population in housing. International students make up almost 20%.

“We also offer non-traditional housing [apartments] that is offered to all classes which is different from the universities in our area,” West said.

“I have been here for eight years,” West said. “I would say the majority of [students] stay 4-5 years.”

For some, the appeal of residence hall life is the close-knit friendships it yields.  

“The dorms are definitely a more ‘exclusive’ subculture to PNW,” Ruiz said. “I mix … with both crowds; however, you get to spend more time with those who stay on campus and meet an extra layer of personalities that you may not encounter as a commuter.”

Seals agrees.

“Some of my closest friendships came from just walking around in the dorm halls,” she said.