The Office of the Dean of Student Affairs and Housing and Dining Services offer first year students the opportunity to live in one of two dynamic thematic areas: Global Studies and PLACE (Program for Leadership and Civic Engagement).

The PLACE Program is a special living-learning community for incoming first-years interested in developing their own leadership capacities and maximizing their impact on the campus and Pittsburgh communities early in their college careers. Students interested in being a part of this community are not expected to have extensive knowledge or experience with leadership or community service, but a genuine interest in exploring both concepts, their interconnectedness, and their impact on how we live our lives is essential. Our community is built on and dedicated to a set of values, a clear vision, and specific goals.

Our Values (or at least some of them…)
Leadership
Stewardship
Community
Discernment
Transformation

Our Vision
A living-learning community focused on leadership and civic responsibility that will challenge highly motivated students to explore and utilize the fullest extent of their potential and who hold a personal conviction to impact the campus and community in a unique and positive way.

Our Goals
- Personal transformation through a supportive environment in which students can explore leadership theory and practice in a local and global context.
- Stewardship of our communities by identifying their needs and being personally convicted to addressing them.
- Build and strengthen relationships among leaders across all colleges and classes within the university community. Practice of discernment in order to live and lead with integrity and conviction during and after their college life.

What do we do?
In order to strive towards these ideals, PLACE incorporates three larger program spheres for the transformation of the students who live here. They are:

-Leadership Study
-Community Impact Project
-Mentor Program

The leadership study is an on-going exploration of different leadership theories and philosophies in hopes of discerning their practical implications, while the community impact project is a long-term service project whose aim is to enhance the surrounding community while giving students a chance to practice what they've discovered. Starting from the beginning of school, upper-classmen students will service as peer-mentors in the Mentor Program. Their purpose will be to guide the leadership discussions and the project planning, as well as being personally paired up with a first-year in PLACE in hopes of better acquainting new students into the Carnegie Mellon campus and the various opportunities it has to offer.

While these values, visions, and goals are foundational in the development of the PLACE living experience, it is expected that each successive class in PLACE will take the major role in shaping their own experience and making their community their own.

Where are we?
PLACE is housed on the third floor of Boss House. As a co-educational first-year community, PLACE participants live in suite style housing and enjoy the comfort of a floor lounge, larger house meeting spaces, a kitchen and laundry facilities. Rooms in Boss are prime doubles and singles.

To apply to this program, please preference PLACE on the on-line housing application. You will be directed to the supplemental application. The application is also available here as a pdf. Please submit applications to ehalf@andrew.cmu.edu or 5000 Forbes Avenue, Warner Hall 3rd Floor, Pittsburgh PA 15213 by May 31, 2008.

The Housing Services Facility Coordinator for PLACE House is Clif Stanford.

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