Jobe Hall now home to business students living on campus

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (April 17, 2003)--Students moving into Tennessee Tech University's Jobe Hall this fall will find the atmosphere all business.

About 160 business majors will live in Jobe Hall during the inaugural semester of the Business Residence Hall Program, designed to help students have more successful collegiate experiences.

"This endeavor is a direct result of suggestions made by the College of Business Student Advisory Committee," said Julie Galloway, director of TTU's Basic Business Program. "The presidents of each business student organization indicated that a business dorm could be used as both a recruiting tool for new students and a retention tool for current students.

"National studies show that creating a sense of community among students increases likelihood that students will stay in school through graduation," she added.

Marketed as "the best existing dorm on campus," Jobe Hall will become more than a sanctuary away from the books.
Residents will have an in-house computer lab available for their exclusive use. Tutoring services in business courses, as well as general subjects, will be offered. Updated study rooms, lobby, and café-style kitchen and dining facilities will be also added to the residence hall.

The College of Business Administration will select a number of business majors as mentors who will work with residents as tutors and play "big brother" or "big sister" roles. On the social scene, Jobe Hall residents can participate in card nights, pizza parties and dessert parties attended by business faculty members.

Business majors selected to live in Jobe will pay an extra $100 per semester, an amount that will partially offset the cost of extra services and amenities.

"Our task force is in the process of compiling a wish list that we will use in seeking donor support for our intended updates and refurbishing projects," said Galloway. "These will include better amenities in the bathrooms, improved lobby space, the dining projects, and warming up the dorm rooms and hallways with new paint and area rugs."

Susan Wells, instructor in Decision Sciences and Management, chairs the project. Other task force members include Rhonda Wright and Pat Quillen, College of Business Administration Foundation office; Sarah Khleif, Basic Business adviser; Lelia Gibson, External Relations; Julie Miller, student representative; and Galloway.

Students interested in living in the Jobe Business Residence Hall will have to fill out both the Residential Life application as well as an application for the College of Business Residence. For more information about the program, call Galloway at 372-3371.

--Karen Lykins

This information posted 17 April 2003