This fall, Oakland University opened its BIO Learning Lounge, an innovative space where students taking courses offered by the Department of Biological Sciences can gather to learn, socialize and study.
Dr. Gerad Madlambayan, the chair of the Department of Biological Sciences at OU, describes the creation of the BIO Learning Lounge as a collaborative effort. The support of the Provost Office, Academic Success Center (ACS), School of Health Sciences, School of Nursing and College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) were crucial to the successful development of the lounge.
The project began over the summer when the Department of Biological Sciences secured a space in Dodge Hall from CAS.
The space was renovated to provide a comfortable space for students to learn. The lounge holds ample study space, a mentoring station, desktop computers and a kitchen area.
“Peer mentors are in the BIO Learning Lounge at all times so that students can drop in for academic support,” Madlambayan said. “We are looking forward to expanding the courses we offer mentoring for to include additional STEM classes like physics and math.”
The BIO Learning Lounge is located at 166 Dodge Hall and is open from Monday through Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. In the near future, the BIO Learning Lounge will expand its hours, closing at 6 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays.
The lounge is also accessible on Fridays on an ad hoc basis through pre-scheduled appointments and Faculty Friday sessions.
“Professors can set up their own drop-in mentoring hours in the BIO Learning Lounge on Fridays, which we call Faculty Fridays,” Madlambayan said. “Faculty Fridays give professors more space to provide additional support to students. The mentoring sessions are available to all students taking the course, not only the students in the professor’s section.”
Dr. Jonathan Yates will serve as the faculty director for the BIO Learning Lounge. In an interview with the Oakland University News, Yates pointed out that the OU Gateways to Completion (OUG2C) project was one of the driving forces behind the lounge’s creation.
Gateway courses are required classes in a student’s major or minor that are typically the one’s first college-level experience in the area of study.
“With the BIO Learning Lounge, we hope to increase students’ confidence in their ability to succeed in their chosen field of study by providing mentor services for gateway classes,” Madlambayan said.
The Academic Success Center (ASC) works alongside the BIO Learning Lounge to support students academically. Many of the student mentors at the lounge were formerly staffed tutors at the ASC.
“The ASC is excited to pursue this partnership opportunity with the Department of Biological Sciences,” Deborah Cash, the director of the ASC, said. “We hope to work alongside the lounge to expand the academic services available to STEM students on campus.”
Academic support is not all the support the BIO Learning Lounge provides. The lounge also offers student jobs and professional development opportunities. Isabella Limbert, the graduate assistant (GA) and manager of the BIO Learning Lab, details her experience working at the BIO Learning Lounge.
“Initially, I was going to accept a graduate TA position at OU. Then, the BIO Learning Lounge opened, and I was selected to be the GA,” Limbert said. “This job has been a great opportunity for me because I have always thought about going into teaching. My duties at the lounge allow me to gain valuable professional experience that would be useful in the field of teaching.”
Charlene Hsiung is a student peer mentor at the BIO Learning Lounge. Hsiung believes the lounge is an excellent place for students to work and socialize.
“I love the space here,” Hsuing said. “A lot of students pop in throughout the day, which means the lounge is almost always full of students studying.”
Students interested in learning more about the BIO Learning Lounge can visit its OU webpage or contact the space administrators via email at [email protected].
