Proposal for New Communities | Learning Communities

Deadline: April 1, 2025

First-Year Learning and Themed Communities are a collaborative effort among a sponsoring department/program/college, Academic Affairs, and University Housing, with the goal of assisting first-year students in their academic and social transition to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. A First-Year Learning and Themed Community is a great way for first-year students to explore an academic interest, while also making friends and finding an academic home at Nebraska.

Those interested in starting a First-Year Learning or Themed Community for the 2026-2027 academic year should submit their completed application, including a letter of support from an appropriate dean, department chair, or program director by April 1, 2025. Please note, due to timelines of the university recruitment cycle and logistics for planning appropriate infrastructure for a community, initial commitments are for a two-year period.

If you have any questions while filling out this application, please contact Abby Groth, Associate Director for Learning Experience, at (402) 472-0698 or agroth@unl.edu.

For descriptions of each form entry field, please view the Creating New Communities page.

Academic focus of the community: Required

Populations of students who may be interested in the community: Required

Sponsoring department(s)/program(s): Required

Community size (minimum) Required

(No fewer than 15)

Community size (maximum) Required

(No higher than 50)

Fall Courses Required

Please identify at least 2-3 fall courses for co-enrollment. Provide the following information: Course Designation (e.g., ENGL 170), Course Title, Credit Hours, ACE Outcome.

Fall Courses
	Fall Courses	Item weight

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Spring Courses Required

Please identify at least 1-2 spring courses for co-enrollment. Provide the following information: Course Designation (e.g., ENGL 170), Course Title, Credit Hours, ACE Outcome.

Spring Courses
	Spring Courses	Item weight

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Faculty/Staff Sponsor-led Programming Required

Faculty/Staff Sponsor-led Programming
	Faculty/Staff Sponsor-led Programming	Item weight

Signature Event Required

Provide a brief description of an example Signature Event (please see the Help Documentation for assistance)

Field Trip

Optional: provide an example Field Trip (please see Help Documentation for assistance)

Proposed Name(s) Required

Please suggest 2-3 possible names for the community. Examples of current Learning Community names are available at: learncom.unl.edu/firstyear

Proposed Name(s)
	Proposed Name(s)	Item weight

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Letter of Support Required

Please attach a letter of support from the appropriate department chair, program director, or dean confirming support for commitment of the faculty sponsor's time.

One file only.
20 MB limit.
Allowed types: pdf, doc, docx.

Name of Person Submitting Proposal

First Required

Last Required

Email Address of Person Submitting Proposal Required

Phone of Person Submitting Proposal Required