{"381191":{"#nid":"381191","#data":{"type":"news","title":"ThinkBig Lets Students Explore Yearlong Special Topics","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETaking a backstage tour of the Fox Theatre, attending a Braves game, and getting to know a professor\u2019s family are just a few things students have experienced through ThinkBig that they might not have otherwise.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThinkBig living-learning communities give students the chance to pursue a topic, academic or extracurricular, throughout the year under the leadership of a dedicated faculty member. Participants live in designated areas of residence halls, meet with faculty leaders for informal discussions, and participate in outings related to their community\u2019s topic.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThinkBig is a great way to bring faculty and students together in an informal environment where they\u2019re still learning, but it\u2019s not in the classroom,\u201d said Sally Hammock, ThinkBig program manager.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMost professors work with students at the beginning of the program and then throughout the year to get ideas for outings, as well as to ensure that the ThinkBig experience is shaped by student preferences. This approach is in keeping with Georgia Tech\u2019s strategic plan to enrich the student experience.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThinkBig alumni still look back fondly on the program and appreciate the community that came from the experience.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cLiving in the International House defined my college experience,\u201d said Craig Miller, a 2009 graduate. \u201cI now have a global community of friends, and it gave me the confidence to pursue opportunities outside of the U.S.\u201d Miller now lives in Seoul, South Korea, where the first people to welcome him to the city were former IHouse residents.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA $150 fee per semester covers ThinkBig participation, including costs associated with outings, food, or programming. Other funding comes from the Center for Academic Enrichment and Department of Housing.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELearn more, including how to sign up, at\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/thinkbig.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ewww.thinkbig.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E or \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/housing.gatech.edu\/reslife\/Pages\/Think-Big.aspx\u0022\u003Ewww.housing.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E. The deadline for all communities is Wednesday, Feb. 25, unless otherwise noted.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThinkBig communities and faculty for 2015-16 include:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAstrobiology: Life Here and Beyond (Loren Williams)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EATL: Explore, Dream, Discover (Joy Robinson)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ECenter Stage: Exploring the performing arts (Melissa Foulger)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EHollywood South: The Indie Film Making Revolution (John Thornton)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EMusic Matters (Jason Freeman)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003ESustainability \u0026amp; Society (Jeannette Yen)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EStartUp House: Live Your Start Up (Keith McGreggor and Harold Solomon)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EThought for Food (Eric Schumacher)\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe living-learning communities let students and faculty focus on a topic throughout the year, academic or otherwise.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The living-learning communities let students and faculty focus on a topic throughout the year, academic or otherwise."}],"uid":"27469","created_gmt":"2015-02-23 15:28:57","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:02:46","author":"Kristen Bailey","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2015-02-23T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2015-02-23T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"71494":{"id":"71494","type":"image","title":"ThinkBig Logo","body":null,"created":"1449177386","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:16:26","changed":"1475894637","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:43:57","alt":"ThinkBig Logo","file":{"fid":"193528","name":"think_big_logo.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/think_big_logo_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/think_big_logo_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":45509,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/think_big_logo_0.jpg?itok=EmjmtHz_"}},"188721":{"id":"188721","type":"image","title":"ThinkBig Group Attends Braves Game","body":null,"created":"1449179101","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:45:01","changed":"1475894835","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:47:15","alt":"ThinkBig Group Attends Braves Game","file":{"fid":"196224","name":"atlgroupbravesgame.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/atlgroupbravesgame_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/atlgroupbravesgame_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":202313,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/atlgroupbravesgame_0.jpg?itok=NyVkPMM6"}}},"media_ids":["71494","188721"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/housing.gatech.edu\/reslife\/Pages\/Think-Big.aspx","title":"ThinkBig"}],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:sally.hammock@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESally Hammock\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECenter for Academic Enrichment\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:holly.shikano@housing.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EHolly Shikano\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EDepartment of Housing\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}