Inquiry and Discovery Living-Learning Communities

Inquiry and Discovery LLCs are characterized by strong faculty and staff engagement, peer leaders, a required course, and a focus on knowledge and skill building in leadership to cultivate action through community.

Dante House | Eco House | Business & Society LLC | First Knight Experience | Lavender House | Tesla House | Umoja House

Students outside
students in a meeting

Quick Facts

  • All returning students to inquiry & discovery LLCs must apply for a Peer Leadership position in order to be considered
  • All first-time students are required to take a for-credit course (unless a reasonable conflict arises) (see below for details)
  • Each inquiry and discovery LLC offers unique and specialized resources for the LLC residents (see below for details in each community)
  • All students participate in "A Little Knight-Time Reading" common read program
Dante House
  • Named for Dante Alighieri, the Italian poet, writer, and philosopher; Dante House was formed in 2008 to exemplify a liberal education: valuing learning in and out of the classroom, through civic engagement and service to the community
  • For all first-year students interested in global citizenship and service
  • Required Course: XLRN 102 - Ethical Service Learning (fall semester)
  • First-year Edgar Fellows (Geneseo's honors program) are housed in this LLC
  • Dante House peer mentors who lived in Dante House in previous years serve as resources
Eco House
  • Named and founded by students in 2010 as a place to explore and increase sustainability awareness and activism on campus
  • Required Course: XLRN 102 - Intro to Eco House - introduces student to research, initiatives, and groups on campus working on the three pillars of sustainability (social justice, environmental justice, and economic justice)
  • Active peer leaders educate residents on areas of interest (compost, fast fashion, environmental justice, etc), connect residents to campus and community resources (eGarden, clubs, Genesee Valley Conservancy, Career Design, internship and ambassadorship opportunities)
  • Students in all years and all majors live in Eco House
  • First-year Sustainability Studies majors are required to live here
Business & Society LLC
  • Established to develop skills for business majors and non-majors, to connect first-year students to the diversity of the fields in Business, and learn about the impact on society.
  • Required Course: MGMT 100 - Society and Business (or ENTR 100 - Intro to Entrepreneurship)
  • First-year students interested in any aspect of Business (accounting, human resources, data analytics, economists, finance, entrepreneurship, and more)
  • Support from the School of Business Van Arsdale Chair in Entrepreneurship and School of Business Faculty
First Knight Experience
  • Developed for first-time, first-year students who have not declared a major and are exploring
  • Required Course: EXPL 101 - Geneseo First Year Seminar
  • Course is taught by Residence Life professionals and aims to facilitate students' exploration into learning in and out of the classroom
  • Part of our "linked living-learning community" building, further enabling students to connect with students in a variety of majors and explore their interests and connect with resources
Lavender House
  • Named by students in Fall 2022, Lavender House is a community of LGBTQIAA students and their allies.
  • Required Course: XLRN 150 - Foundations in Social Identity OR XLRN 250 - Intergroup Dialogue (fall and/or spring semesters)
  • Students in the Lavender House Inquiry and Discovery LLC are those who have applied for peer leadership positions and wish to take an active role mentoring, connecting, and supporting students living in the cohort community.
Tesla House
  • Named by residents after Nikola Tesla, innovator and collaborator
  • First-year students interested in Physics, Geological Sciences, and Education
  • Required Course: XLRN 102 - Integrative Project Seminar (spring semester)
  • In-hall math and physics Tutor
  • Tesla Mentors who lived in Tesla House in previous years serve as resources
  • Discovery Cafe events
Umoja House
  • Named by students, Umoja is the first principle of Kwanzaa, meaning "unity."
  • For returning students, this is an engaged intellectual community where students of diverse backgrounds can come together to celebrate their identities while nurturing their leadership skills. 
  • Required Course: XLRN 150 - Foundations in Social Identity OR XLRN 250 - Intergroup Dialogue (fall and/or spring semesters)
  • Active peer leaders plan monthly dinners, bring in campus and community resources (Cultural Clubs, Career Design, Study Away, etc), and contribute to a supportive peer environment that works to eliminate emotional labor and code switching for residents
  • Close relationship with the Cohort LLC Kuumba House (first-year community)

 Visit the Exploratory Living-Learning Community Page

Visit the Cohort Community Living-Learning Community Page

Visit the Living-Learning Community Page for a list of all LLCs