The Honors Residential Commons
The Honors Residential Commons (HRC) is the first residential college at Virginia Tech, founded in 2011. We are a multi-generational, multi-disciplinary living-learning community with our own traditions and sense of belonging. We are comprised of more than 300 Junior Fellows (undergraduate students), several Graduate Fellows (graduate students), and more than 30 Senior Fellows (faculty and esteemed members of the New River Valley). While the HRC is student-governed, it also receives consistent leadership from a Faculty Principal (live-in tenure-track faculty member) and Program Coordinator (live-in Housing and Residence Life staff member).
We foster a supportive, yet challenging community that creates the conditions for students to pursue meaningful encounters with the wider world. The Honors Residential Commons (HRC) at East Ambler Johnston strives to engage a diverse community of students pursuing development of themselves, relationships with others, and the projection of their passions into the greater community with unwavering curiosity and a commitment to lifelong service and learning. In fellowship, all things grow.
Meet our Faculty Principal: Dr. Natalie Cook!
Dr. Natalie Cook, HRC Faculty Principal, emphasizes a holistic approach to help students thrive.
But what does life living at the residential college look like?
Read in-depth about the every day life at the residential college in this featured article Living, Learning and Loving it.
The Honors Residential Commons (HRC) at Virginia Tech began as a partnership between Student Affairs and University Honors. Rather than merely renovating Ambler Johnston Hall (AJ), they chose to change the model and create “a place where students live so they can learn.” Thus, East AJ houses the HRC, where students and faculty would live throughout the school year. The HRC has become a presence on Tech’s campus and continues to gain attention for its combination of faculty and student life. In the interest of documenting history, the HRC has created Our Story which provides some insight into the first years of the community and where it stands today.
Our Location
The HRC is located in East Ambler Johnston Hall, commonly referred to as East AJ. The building is conveniently located on Washington Street near West End Market.
Mailing Address:
c/o Faculty Principal
1319a East Ambler Johnston Hall
700 Washington St SW
Blacksburg, VA 24061
get to know our leadership
Whether providing guidance, support, or organizing activities, we're all a team and we'd love to get to know you!
Your support helps the community!
If you'd like to donate to the Honors Residential Commons, thank you!
To give, visit https://www.givingto.vt.edu/ and click the Give Today button.
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