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Date: August 10, 2005

Robeson Hall not just a dorm, but an experience

Did you know Parkland has a residence hall?  Many students have heard about Robeson Hall in conversation, or by some of the literature placed around Parkland, but you have to look downtown in order to find it.

Located on the corner of Church and State streets (no pun intended), across from Westside Park, the residence hall assumed the former Howard Johnson hotel in 1997. It features five stories of community living, housing mostly Parkland College students and a couple of U of I collegians. Although most of the students have to commute by car or bus in order to get to class, Robeson features some great assets that even the U of I residence halls can't claim. For instance, it's next to some of the main churches of the city, the beautiful and spacious Westside Park, the YMCA (where some of the residents work out), the nightlife scene downtown, and other neat cultural icons like the Virginia Theatre. All of these places are literally a stone's throw from the upper balcony.

Any college can create a residence hall, but it takes a lot more to make a safe and welcome community for students. Robeson fulfills the biggest needs of community life: residence programming, security, emergency procedures, and cultural awareness. Residence programming consists of group outings, games, activities, educational/informative demonstrations, or anything that brings any or all of the residents together for a little break in the routine. Robeson's resident assistants, the backbone of the staff, have already thrown a few barbecues this summer, and have put together putt-putt outings, volleyball games, ice skating trips, badminton, movie nights, and a host of other fun things to do.

For security, Robeson requires residents to accompany guests, and just like a hotel, everyone checks in at the front desk. There are cameras on each floor and in the laundry rooms and other public areas. Tied in with the security are the emergency procedures. Accidents, incidents, and natural disasters are potential risks for residents, and the staff has to be prepared. Resident assistants undergo training, including mockups, since they are usually the first on the scene before a professional may have to respond. The staff also can instruct the students on what to do in case of a tornado or fire.

One of the great things about community living is the opportunity to meet a diverse and varied group of people. There may be international students, urban or rural residents, religious differences, and/or cultural variety. One goal of Robeson Hall is to bring these groups together through their programming, staff, community life, and college experience. The residents usually dine together in the dining room, play pool against each other in the recreation room, watch movies on the big screen television, or simply hang out in each other's rooms.

As for the food, it's catered by Hendrick's, and it meets the needs of vegans and vegetarians. Want something different? Cook your own food in the resident's shared kitchen. Walk downtown and have your choice of over a dozen restaurants. Order a pizza. You can even get a 'late plate' or a sack lunch in case you are ill or have class during a meal. Need to surf the Internet? Each room has a T1 connection, which in layman's terms means 'really fast'. Don't have a computer? There's a computer lab with the fast connection downstairs.

Robeson is totally coed, with males and females on the same floor. Each room is either a single or double, or a single or double deluxe. Deluxe rooms are a little bigger and have a view of the park. Each room has a private bathroom and balcony, as well as the usual comforts like desk space, closets, etc. Most major university residence halls feature community bathrooms, or even three students to a room. Just remember that Robeson used to be a hotel, and you can get a good idea of what comes with the room.

Being a college student is time-consuming. By providing most student and resident needs in one place, there is more time for studying, socializing, and, well, being a college kid out on the town. Robeson Hall has a great staff, a great location, and a lifestyle that adds to the real (Parkland) college experience.