USI Residence Life

Living-Learning Communities

Freshman Interest Groups (FIGs)

Freshman Interest Groups (FIGs) are small groups of students within a Living-Learning Community. They meet for a faculty-led pro-seminar course that offers mentoring and further exploration of the course material. Each FIG unit has a teaching assistant - an undergraduate student who assists with the course and helps FIG members learn to navigate the University. Some FIGs are designed for students with specific majors or academic programs in mind; others are intentionally broader to allow students to explore several areas. Participation in a FIG is an excellent way to get started at USI. You take some of the most popular courses and have the opportunity to find friends and study partners.

Although the basic concept has been around for some time, only a few universities have expanded FIGs to include a residential component. Residential FIGs consist of approximately 25 freshmen who opt to sign up for three classes with a theme and live in the same residence hall as some of their classmates. These students not only take some lecture classes with fellow residents, they also get together in smaller groups for discussion and study sessions in the residence hall lounges.

Although FIGs are limited in size, FIG members will still be living with up to 220 people in your hall and going to classes larger than your FIG group. This provides a balance between a small, focused learning environment and opportunity to get to know a broad range of students living in your hall and going to your classes. Residential FIGs allow students to feel more connected to USI, have stronger relationships with other students and faculty members, and increase the likelihood of graduation. In fact, research shows that students who take classes together and live together are more likely to have a smooth transition to university life and greater academic success.

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