Aurora
Hospitality. Humility. Home.
During an aurora borealis, ribbons of color light up the night sky. Each ribbon is distinct; the colors do not mix and blur together. Yet they still combine to create a beautiful tapestry of light. In the same way, communities are more beautiful when many spiritualities can live and work together.
Located in New Hall West, the Aurora Interfaith Living-Learning Community is cultivating peacemakers to build a better campus and better world. Whether you identify as religious, spiritual, secular, or you’re not sure what you are, you're invited to learn and grow in this caring community.
Aurora is a collaboration with the Interfaith Initiative at Virginia Tech.
You’ll fit right in at Aurora if:
- You want to learn how to build a caring community
- You think religion is a powerful force in today’s world (for good or ill)
- You have questions about yourself, your purpose, and what life is all about
Residents are invited to Community Hour one night each week. These small events are a great opportunity to build friendships, have fun, and learn. Past Community Hours have included movie nights, board game tournaments, interfaith holiday parties, and trips to the ice cream parlor.
In the Fall semester, all new Aurora residents must enroll in a special section of RLCL 1014: World Religions. (This 3-credit hour introductory course fulfills a Pathways General Education requirement.) Throughout the year, residents are also encouraged to participate in Virginia Tech’s Interfaith Initiative programs, including monthly workshops and field trips.
If you are a new student coming to Virginia Tech, you can apply for Aurora once you have accepted your offer of admission from Virginia Tech and paid the matriculation fee. If you are a current or returning student, you can apply in the StarRez Portal beginning in October. Learn more about the application process.
For additional information, contact jillann@vt.edu.