Building Community

By Sarah Lindenfeld Hall

NC State’s College of Engineering is testing a new housing option for sophomores and transfer students this academic year — a living and learning village at Wolf Ridge Apartments on Centennial Campus.

The pilot project builds on the College of Engineering’s popular Engineering Village in Sullivan Hall on Main Campus, home to about 750 freshmen each year. Starting this fall, Engineering Village2, or EV2, is housing 50 second-year students who lived in Sullivan during their freshman year, along with 50 newly admitted transfer students.

Living and learning villages help students adjust to college by putting students with similar interests or majors together. Derius Galvez, program director for both engineering villages, says the goal is to build on the success of the freshman Engineering Village, which opened in Metcalf Residence Hall in 2013, and provide support and community for students as they begin to take more challenging classes.

“You’re really getting a flavor of what real engineering courses are,” Galvez said. To mitigate the mental stress and cognitive load that can come with advanced coursework, he says, the expansion provides older students with support and programming typically reserved for freshmen.

As part of EV2, students will live together on Centennial Campus where all upperclass engineering classes are held. Galvez is also planning programs and social events that will emphasize collaboration, academic success, career readiness, ethical decision-making, innovation, wellness and mentorship.

Galvez knows about the stress of engineering school. He holds undergraduate and master’s degrees in engineering from Mississippi State University and N.C. A&T and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in learning theories in STEM education from NC State. He’s worked at Lockheed Martin, the Air Force Research Lab and Northrop Grumman.

“Being able to go to the students and say, ‘I’ve seen what green pastures look like, and they are beautiful. Let me show you how to get there,’” he says, “I’ve never been more excited.”