Growing roots in Living-Learning Communities

Growing roots in Living-Learning Communities
Students find like-minded friends and a sense of belonging

The transition from high school to college can feel like stepping off a cliff, uncertain where the ground is — or if the descent will be painful. However, living-learning communities (LLCs) offer a soft landing.

The Ohio State University has 15 LLCs, and three are associated with the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES), giving students a chance to make fast friends, jump headfirst into their passions, and get hands-on experience.

Not just a house, but a home

CFAES LLC students pose outside Nosker House off W. Woodruff Ave., a quick walk to central campus and the Oval.

The FAES LLC is the oldest of the trio and perfect for students majoring in food, agricultural, and environmental sciences. It’s all about helping first- and second-year students get off to a strong start by offering mentorship, real-world experience, and leadership development.

Students in this community live in Nosker House, where they can interact with professors and alumni, attend industry field trips, and participate in team-building activities like an Ohio State hockey game, etiquette dinner at the Faculty Club, and movie nights.

About 100 first- and second-year students live in Nosker House and have the chance to be involved in workshops on wellness, personal finance, and leadership. It’s a close-knit group where students can build up their skills, create lasting friendships, and expand their knowledge — taking steps to become the experts they’ve longed to be.

SUSTAINS students live at Scott House, adjacent to Nosker House, which includes a Traditions dining facility and Connecting Grounds for grab n'go options.

The SUSTAINS LLC is another of the three communities, which focuses on sustainability (as the name suggests). Students live in Scott House.

Launched in 2014, it brings together students who want to make a difference in the world by strengthening society and the environment. Activities like removing invasive species, professional development trips, meeting with sustainability professionals, and participating in discussions about food security and energy allow students to get their hands dirty (literally) and work on real-world issues.

The annual fall break trip rotates between visiting Chicago and DC. Students meet with the United Nations Foundation, World Bank, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, with visits to local sustainability efforts to learn more.

The eight story Houston House sits on Lane Ave, close to Nosker and Scott. Restaurants and shopping are nearby.

Then there’s the Kellogg-Moser LLC, which focuses on food security and sustainability.

Students in this program live in Houston House, take a special seminar course in their first semester, and get involved in community service and off-campus trips.

The Kellogg-Moser LLC helps students dive deep into topics like food security, food safety, and sustainable agriculture. They connect with professionals in the field, grow leadership skills, and get a better grasp of the challenges and opportunities within the food system.

It’s an eye-opening experience that gives these future leaders the perspective they’ll need to make decisions that could impact us all in the years ahead.

Looking for more information? There’s no better way to tell it than through the eyes of students and advisors.

Shared experiences, similar goals

Madalyn Jones, who goes by “Maddie,” wasn’t sure what to expect when she decided to join the FAES LLC.

“I wanted to meet people with similar majors and interests,” Jones said. “I thought it would make it easier to connect with someone right away, even just for a roommate.”

She’s part of an eight-person suite, all students from CFAES.

“We’ve got a mix of majors: agribusiness, agricultural communication, and even some pre-med animal science students,” Jones said.

Being surrounded by classmates and future colleagues has been impactful.

“It’s so nice to walk out into the common area and find people studying for the same classes,” she said. “We’re always bouncing ideas off each other.”

Jones has attended career fairs, personality workshops, and even outings like the Circleville Pumpkin Show and a trip to see Wicked.

Former FAES LLC members visited Hocking Hills on a group trip in 2019. Activities this year include a visit to the Arne Sletteback Planetarium, Ohio State men’s hockey game, CFAES Olympics and Taste of Ohio State.

“There’s such a range — from fun social stuff to more serious, career-focused events,” she said. “It’s been a huge help in adjusting to college life.”

Jones also found her ambitions taking a different shape than she originally planned. She started as an animal sciences major but switched to agribusiness and applied economics after realizing she was more interested in policy work. A job at the Ohio Statehouse with the House Agricultural Committee solidified her new direction.

“That experience showed me I want to work in agricultural policy,” Jones said. “Now I’m minoring in public policy so I can tailor my education to fit that goal.”

When asked if she’d recommend the LLC to incoming students, Jones didn’t hesitate.

“Absolutely. It’s such a great way to get a head start — making friends, meeting professors, and understanding all the opportunities in the college,” she said. “My closest friends are people I met here. We all started with something in common, and it just grew from there. It’s made a big place feel so much smaller and more personal.”


Jayden (front row, far left), at the Capital Building on the Washington, DC trip with other members of the Kellog-Moser LLC.

For Jayden Porter, food has always been more than just something to eat — it’s been a way of life.

“I’ve always been interested in food science,” Porter said. “I grew up baking with my grandma and cooking with my dad. At first, I thought I’d go to culinary school and study molecular gastronomy, but while researching that, I stumbled across food science. Learning how so many of our food products are developed in labs by scientists just fascinated me.”

Joining Ohio State’s Kellogg-Moser LLC seemed like a natural next step.

“I wanted to meet people with similar interests, network, and get involved on campus,” Porter said. “Food science is such a niche major, but being part of the LLC connected me with other food science students and gave me opportunities I never expected.”

The weekly seminars have also had a powerful impact.

“We have speakers come in from all sorts of fields: sustainability, food systems, agriculture,” Porter said. “I’ve learned about food deserts, reducing food waste, and even how Ohio State dining halls are working to be more sustainable.”

He would step out of these seminars with a deeper understanding of how he could wield his major.

But the LLC isn’t just about academics for Porter.

“I’ve met people from all over the U.S. and even internationally,” he said. “My first-year roommate was from Korea. We all come from different backgrounds, but we share an interest in sustainability.”

Porter is quick to recommend an LLC to incoming students.

“Moving in early and having those few days to meet people and connect made the transition to college so much easier,” he said.


Anna Elfers is planting the seeds of her sustainability career at Ohio State, and the SUSTAINS LLC is where they’re starting to bloom. 

“I hadn’t heard about LLCs until I did a tour of the agriculture campus, and they mentioned that there are a couple of agriculture and environmental-focused living-learning communities,” Elfers said. “It sounded interesting, so I decided to join.”

It was a leap of faith, but she ended up landing just where she needed.

“It was probably the single best decision I made going into college because it ensured I had good housing and that the people I was living around were all interested in similar things to me,” she said. 

And that evaporated her concerns of a lonely and awkward beginning to her college career.

For any future first-year students, LLC applications are due April 15, 2025! You’ll hear back by April 30, and housing contracts (plus fees) are due May 15. Just a heads-up: You’ll need to live in LLC housing and can only room with someone else in the same LLC.

Rising second-year students, your deadline is Feb. 15, 2025. Make sure you also complete your housing reselection form on time. You’ll get a decision by the end of February. If you’re switching campuses, reach out to Housing Assignments by Feb. 1 to stay eligible. Same deal as first-years — second-year LLC students live and room with others in the program.

“I met my roommate because we were both doing the living-learning community, and she’s been awesome,” Elfers said. “It gave me events to do and a community to be a part of.”

She’s gaining firsthand experience that complements her environmental science studies, including working on a pollinator garden project on campus.

Anna Elfers (far right) with friends working on her pollinator garden project.

“I’m working on a project to make pollinator gardens on campus,” Elfers said. “It’s been good environmental science experience and has taught me how to implement sustainability projects, not just design them.”

The project has deepened her understanding of environmental science while allowing her to see how her studies translate into real-world impact. The social connections Elfers has made have also been invaluable.

“We go to events together, have a class together, and work on projects together,” she said. “It’s introduced me to a lot of people who are also interested in environmental sustainability.”

For those considering an LLC, Elfers urges students to look at each one and pick the best fit.

“Look at what each one offers and choose the one that fits your interests. There’s definitely one out there for you,” Elfers said.

SUSTAINS LLC students visited the United Nations Foundation during a trip to Washington D.C.

Advising the next generation of leaders

Sarah Williams, an advisor for both the CFAES and Kellogg-Moser LLCs, pours her time, talent, and heart into helping students thrive during their first years on campus. 

She holds both a bachelor's degree in landscape horticulture and a master's in plant pathology. Having been with the college since 2009, she understands firsthand the experience of taking those first steps on campus.

“Coming to Ohio State can feel overwhelming,” Williams said. “But in a living learning community, students find people with similar passions and often make lifelong friends.”

And she would know. As an undergrad, Williams was a member of an LLC, and she leans into that first-hand experience.

Kellogg-Moser LLC students harvest carrots at Waterman Lab in 2021.

“I never imagined I’d one day be in charge of these programs, but it's such a full-circle moment for me,” she said.

Williams and her team implement robust support systems for new first-year students including the CFAES Peer Mentor Program, and she oversees incoming reports on how each student is adapting to college.

“It could be a wide range: They're doing great, they've been very involved, they're making new friends, or they're missing home, they're struggling with classes, they're having roommate issues, that sort of thing,” she said. “So, I'm able to monitor through that program. But we also have hall directors and resident advisors that are checking in on our students.”

Williams sees her role as fostering personal growth and early career planning for students who may not always be sure of their direction. She works with them to open all sorts of doors.

Williams’ enthusiasm for helping students build a foundation for their future is stunningly clear. And inspiring.

“It’s amazing to watch them grow and see the relationships they build,” she said of her students. “Those connections go far beyond their time here at Ohio State.”


As an advisor for the SUSTAINS LLC, Liz Quigley is helping students create a better world. But this wasn’t the destiny she originally had in mind. 

Quigley never imagined returning to Ohio after high school. But life has a way of surprising you. After earning her degree at Arizona State University and stints in Colorado, she’s found a home in Columbus, and she’s all in — especially when it comes to sustainability.

“I really do love Ohio State,” she says with a smile.

SUSTAINS students visited Plant Chicago, a non-profit that cultivates a closed loop of waste recyling and reuse.

Growing up here in Ohio, she didn’t initially see a clear connection between sustainability and her everyday life. 

But after diving into studies that combined her passion for the environment and community, she realized that sustainable practices weren’t just an academic pursuit — they were a way to make a tangible difference in the world.

“Everything we do has an impact,” Quigley said. “When I started thinking about sustainability, it clicked that every action, every choice, can move us closer to a better, more sustainable future.”

Her passion for the planet started young. Quigley went vegetarian at age 9, driven by a fierce commitment to animals and the environment. 

“I’ve always cared about human rights and sustainability,” she said. 

That drive led her to a career in sustainability, first as a program manager at Ohio State’s Sustainability Institute, where she helps students turn their passion into real-world impact.

“Sustainability thrives in communities where people are connected, where there’s a collective understanding of what it takes to make a lasting change,” she said. “That’s why I’m so passionate about working with students who can then take that knowledge and spread it to their own communities.” 

And one more living-learning opportunity

For future students who love the environment and outdoor adventure, the Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) Scholars Program at Ohio State is another living and learning option. A gateway to sustainability, leadership, and hands-on experiences, Scholars students live with like-minded peers in Morrill Tower; dive into service projects; tackle real-world environmental challenges; and explore topics like wildlife, energy, and ecosystem restoration. 

From camping trips to community-building events, ENR Scholars is all about forming friendships, connecting with nature, and preparing for careers that make a difference. If you’re ready to lead and innovate for a sustainable future, this is the community for you! Applying to the Scholars program in November during your senior year of high school is required to live in this community. To learn more about applying, visit the ENR Scholars page

All photos courtesy of Sarah Williams, Liz Quigley, Jayden Porter, and Anna Elfers.