Community Description

Water Tower Campus (WTC) is located in the heart of Chicago, one of the most diverse and populous cities in the United States. Within blocks of the WTC are the boutique shops of Michigan Avenue and a YMCA; million-dollar condominiums and section 8 housing; some of the wealthiest residents in Chicago and some of the most indigent. The unique overlap of social and socio-economic communities surrounding WTC provides a rich environment for students to engage a host of urban issues with focus on social justice concerns.

The Urban Issues Learning Community is home to 44 continuing Loyola sophomores, juniors, and seniors, and 29 incoming transfer sophomores, juniors, and seniors.  All Urban Issues Learning Community students live together in Baumhart Hall.  The Community provides returning sophomores, juniors, and seniors the opportunity to engage together in a community-based research project with a local community organization.  Transfer students enjoy the chance to explore and learn more about their new home in the city of Chicago.

School of Communication Course Cluster

Students in the School of Communication have the opportunity to engage together in Communication related coursework and programs focused on Urban Issues in Communication.  Students utilize the area surrounding the WTC as a living laboratory and focus on learning to tell the personal stories of individuals living in our urban environment.  Additionally, the course cluster will give students the opportunity to connect with the news organizations, ad agencies, public relations firms and non-profit groups located in the same neighborhood as Loyola's WTC.

Activities and Programs

Students in the Urban Issues Learning Community engage in the urban neighborhood that surrounds their home.  They explore the social and socioeconomic issues impacting the community by engaging with community organizations to learn about urban issues around the City of Chicago.  Students participate in Loyola's Labre Ministry which seeks to form relationships with the homeless of downtown Chicago by providing both food and friendship.  Students are asked to volunteer a minimum of 2 shifts with Labre Ministry each semester. 

Immersion experiences are an extremely important component of the exploration of urban issues in the Learning Community.  The community shares a very strong relationship with Loyola’s Alternative Break Immersion program and each student in the Learning Community is asked to participate in at least one Alternative Break Immersion (during Fall Break, Spring Break, or Summer Break).

Students in the Schools of Communication Course Cluster will also enjoy programs such as touring the Chicago Tribune, visiting public relations firms, and exploring local radio and television stations.  

Curricular Requirements

Each floor of the Urban Issues LC takes one class together in the Fall semester.  The transfer student floor also takes one class together in the spring.  This provides wonderful opportunities to connect through coursework with peers in the community. Faculty members who teach in the Urban Issues LC also participate with students in activities and events outside the classroom, allowing students to develop stronger relationships with faculty members who share their passion.  

Returning Student Floor

Fall 2012 - UNIV 291: Community-based Research and Leadership

Students will contribute to a community-based research project in the city through this 3-credit seminar course.  They will work a minimum of 40 hours over the semester on a research project with a community organization, while they prepare for and reflect on their experiences in their seminar meetings.  Students will learn about topics such as asset mapping, organizational action research, civic leadership, and social justice.  This course is open to all Loyola students (no prerequisites) and fulfills the "Civic Engagement and Leadership" value requirement of the Core Curriculum.

Transfer Student Floor

Fall 2012 - SOCL 125: Chicago: Growth of a Metropolis

Students will explore the development of the Chicago region from the 1830's through the 21st century.  This course emphasizes getting out and about and experiencing a bit of life today in this metropolis.  Students will visit neighborhoods, museums, and other public places, meet residents of the city, and consider policy directions for the future of the region.  This course is open to all students (no prerequisites) and it fulfills both the "Social and Cultural Knowledge" and "Diversity Value" of the Coure Curriculum.

Spring 2012 - UNIV 190: Understanding Service and Social Justice

Students will contribute a minimum of 25 hours of "hands-on" service to a variety of community organizations, while they prepare for and reflect on their experiences in relation to contemporary urban issues in their class sessions.  This course fulfills the "Civic Engagement and Leadership" value of the Core Curriculum.

School of Communications Course Cluster

Fall 2012 - CMUN 371: Special Topics Producing Web Content

This course is intended to provide communication students or students in other disciplines an opportunity to create compelling web-based stories.  In keeping with Loyola’s Jesuit Catholic heritage mission and spirit of social justice, student stories will focus on the people of Chicago who rarely, if ever, have their stories and issues addressed by mainstream media. Stories will include text, photographs, interactive maps and video.