Leadership and Social Change Residential College
The Leadership and Social Change Residential College (LSCRC) is a leadership development program maintained through a collaborative effort of the Department of Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the Office of Living-Learning Programs, and VT Engage: The Center for Leadership and Service Learning.
The community offers a co-curricular laboratory for learning and leading under the direction of a live-in faculty member. At Virginia Tech, our residential colleges are both multi-generational (students of all class years) and multi-disciplinary (students of all majors).
Dr. Rick Rudd is Professor and Community Viability Chair in the department of Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education. Dr. Rudd previously served as ALCE Department Chair from 2006-2019 and Interim Associate Dean and Director of Virginia Cooperative Extension and Professor in 2009-2010. Dr. Rudd’s research focuses on community viability models that can lead to regenerative communities as well as methods for planning, designing, delivering and evaluating international workforce education and development programs. Dr. Rick Rudd lives in community with his partner, Dr. Donna Westfall-Rudd, and their two dogs Buck and Annie.
Mission
The mission of the Leadership and Social Change Residential College is to offer students a theoretical foundation combined with the practical knowledge and skills necessary to lead in a complex global environment.
What to Expect
- Students who enter the LSCRC during their first year are guaranteed housing for two years in the LSCRC when they accept their offer and sign a two-year housing contract.
- First year students are required to complete LDRS 1414 Citizen Leadership course during their first semester in the program. LDRS 1414, a Pathways Concept 3 and 7 course, provides students with a foundational experience highlighting the major theories, concepts, and skills associated with effective leadership.
- Returning Virginia Tech students sign a one year contract and are guaranteed housing in the LSCRC for the upcoming academic year.
- Returning Students have the opportunity to participate in informal mentorship opportunities and have preference on our study abroad opportunity.
Get Involved
The LSCRC has three weekly traditions: Intersections, Community Dinner, and Pawsitive Vibes. Each is a unique time for the LSCRC to gather in community. At intersections, we are joined by a guest speaker who shares new perspectives and ideas with our community while socializing with students. Community Dinner is a time for us to gather socially and share a meal together. Pawsitive vibes, hosted in the faculty apartment, is a time to gather for good vibes and relaxation with sweet snacks and sweet dogs!
One way you can get involved in our community is through College Council. College Council is a student run and faculty advised group that provides leadership to our community through programing, marketing, and involvement around campus.
When you apply into the LSCRC, you are selected for one of our 4 student-led houses: Earth, Food, People, and Water House. Each house designs programing and community building opportunities for their houses to engage their house members.
Priority consideration will be offered to LSCRC students who apply to be a part of the “Illuminate Agriculture Project,” a two-week study abroad program to Senegal to learn and teach the importance of food preservation. Accepted students will participate in extensive training the semester before travel to learn about food preservation throughout Appalachia. Applications open in the fall.
The Leadership and Social Change Residential College is located within O'Shaughnessy Hall.
For additional information, contact leadership@vt.edu.