Student Leaders welcoming students during welcome days

Residential Experience

Living in a residence hall is more than just sleeping, showering, and studying. It’s about being part of a community. Upon move-in, you have opportunities to meet new people, participate in student clubs, attend social and educational events, and have easy access to a variety of dining and fitness facilities.

We believe living on campus is about experiencing learning moments. These moments occur in the classroom, in the residence hall, and all across campus. At St. Thomas we call that holistic learning, the Tommie Advantage. In Residence Life, you’ll experience the Tommie Advantage through intentional opportunities like:

  • Living Learning Communities (LLCs)
  • Community Meetings
  • 1:1 Conversations with your RA
  • Roommate Agreements and Mediations
  • Student Conduct and Behavior Expectations
  • Community Events

Our Residence Life Team engages you in this learning at a level that is appropriate based on your year at St. Thomas. We also connect you to resources across campus that can support your college journey.

student on an epic rock climbing adventure

Living Learning Communities (LLCs)

Your learning community and academic plan matter and are the first step to getting you into the right environment to succeed. Our Living Learning Communities (LLCs) are specialized living environments that connect students with similar academic interests in and out of the classroom. As an incoming student, through our First-Year Experience, you will choose to participate in either a LLC or the Common Good Learning Community (CGLC).

Find out more about LLCs at St Thomas

Life Outside the Halls

We believe that living on campus is a cornerstone of the student experience. There's plenty of Student Life outside of the halls, including these important components.

Dining Services

Coffee, grab-and-go, convenience stores, and complete meals -- food and drinks to keep you going through the day and evening study sessions. Our self-operated dining services team provides meals for approximately 12,000 students, faculty, staff and visitors daily.

Exercise and Recreation

You can find cardio equipment, weight rooms, a swimming pool, indoor courts, and running tracks (both indoor and outdoor) in our two gyms: Anderson Athletic Recreation Center (north campus) and McCarthy Gym (south campus).

Ministry

As a Catholic university, St. Thomas is committed to enabling the spiritual growth of all our students. We support and honor diverse faith traditions with spiritual leaders from different faiths as well as prayer, worship, and meditation spaces that are open to all.

Sustainability

St. Thomas infuses sustainability into its academic programs, student life, facilities, dining and campus operations while working toward a goal of carbon neutrality by 2035. The Residence Halls participate by recycling, using recycled paper, and purchasing Energy STAR appliances.

Campus Safety

Our Public Safety team is dedicated to creating and promoting a safe, secure and peaceful environment for the campus community. Residence Halls have card-swipe access and front desk staff; walking paths are well-lit; security staff patrols campus; and campus escorts are available to all.

Residential Connection Team

The Residential Connection Team is a group of students who take an active role in the quality of Hall life, from solving issues to planning events for students in Residence Halls.

Anderson Student Center (ASC)

Anderson Student Center, or ASC, is the main gathering spot for students. It has multiple eateries, a coffee shop, even a bowling alley. It’s also home to Tommie Central, your resource for everything from transportation, to meeting rooms, to camping equipment.

Center for the Common Good

The Center for the Common Good connects students (plus faculty and staff) with opportunities in the community. The Center facilitates the way we can catalyze social innovation, which may manifest as a volunteer opportunity, research, or as an element of an academic course.