DOUGLASS NOW 2024
THE POWER OF LIVING AND LEARNING .
WHERE WE'VE BEEN
WHERE WE'RE GOING
PAST,
Nursing and Pharmacy
Coming 2024 -2025
Up to 40 first year students in the Schools of Pharmacy and Nursing will live together in this health-careers focused community.
Douglass-Honors College
Students dually enrolled in Douglass and the Honors College experience an expanded collaboration featuring handson work with scholars and artists at the intersection of STEM and art.
Gender and Arts
Coming 2024 -2025
Students in this community enroll in a year-long course with practicing artists in a range of visual media. They develop skills for critical analysis and create their own work!
DR. MEGHAN REHBEIN, E d .D.
DEAN OF DOUGLASS
FOR OUR STUDENTS, DOUGLASS CAMPUS IS HOME.
That’s why at Douglass, we take designing our living-learning communities seriously. Livinglearning communities (LLCs), themed residential programs that bring students together to live, study, and research around a central topic, have been a staple of the Douglass experience for decades. From themed language and cultural houses to the opening of Bunting-Cobb Sciences LLC in 1989, Douglass has always known the enduring impact a feminist community can have on students.
Universities around the nation are now also looking to LLCs as the future of higher education. The influence of community, connection, and sense of belonging on a student's academic success is unparalleled. Students who feel safe and included are more likely to excel both in and out of the classroom. They feel empowered to take risks, learn authentically, and celebrate diverse perspectives.
Students in LLCs are also more likely to share the challenges that inevitably arise in college and know who to ask for guidance. LLCs are a cornerstone of Rutgers' Academic Master Plan, and Douglass is at the forefront of modeling what these initiatives can do for student success.
As we develop our own next strategic plan, Douglass will continue to look towards maintaining the success of our current LLCs, sharing our best practices with University partners, and opening new LLCs for our talented students.
In this edition of the Douglass Now, tour through Douglass’ LLCs, both old and new, that offer our students the opportunity to study deeply, lead boldly in their communities, and make connections that last a lifetime.
Scan the QR code on each page to meet a Douglass student from a living-learning community:
1. Open the camera on your smartphone
2. With your camera app open, hold your phone over the QR code until the link pops up on your screen
3. Tap the link that pops up on your screen
4. Enjoy the video!
WHAT ARE LIVING-LEARNING COMMUNITIES
(LLC s )?
Living-learning communities are themed residential spaces where students live in a residence hall together, study a specific topic or major, and participate in academic and community-building activities.
L IVING
together in a residence hall, forming strong connections through shared experiences in rooms, study spaces, and common areas.
L EARNING C OMMUNITY
together in a credit-bearing course, research project, or community based activity. Students share a graduate mentor, Douglass staff, and professors who offer direct guidance in and out of the classroom.
building that elevates students' sense of belonging in college which increases their potential for academic excellence and personal success.
Did You Know? DISCOVERY ADVANTAGE
At Rutgers, students who participate in thematic housing or learning communities have statistically higher GPAs. As such, Rutgers will expand and enhance living-learning communities
as part of the Discovery Advantage initiative in the new Academic Master Plan. Douglass LLCs served as a case study in the University's research while preparing the Discovery Advantage plan.
GLOBAL LEADERS LLC
Modern leaders need a global mindset to solve the problems of an interconnected world. The Global Leaders Living-Learning Community at Douglass serves as a launchpad for the aspirations of the policy makers, diplomats, advocates, and travelers of tomorrow.
"Gaining insight into social, political, and economic complexities is fundamental for authentic inclusiveness,” said Shilpa Gidugu DRC’25. “Exemplary leaders adopt a perpetual student mindset, continuously seeking knowledge. The Global Leaders program has advanced my growth, dismantling my ingrained biases.”
As part of the living-learning community, students take two credit-bearing courses and conduct research on issues affecting women and girls internationally. Over winter break, they travel together with their Douglass instructors on a fully funded trip abroad to learn deeply about a country’s culture and immerse themselves in a global experience. Upon their return, they connect what they learned abroad to the New Brunswick community. The competitive, year-long program is part of a sequence of global living-learning communities offered by the College.
For the past two years, Douglass students have traveled to Kuwait. While there, they learned about traditional Bedouin weaving culture, took part in a traditional Kuwaiti dance workshop, and met with Kuwaiti artists at Safat studio.
Students also continued their coursework while in Kuwait. They connected with students and staff
studying English Literature at the American University of Kuwait for a joint class session. Together, the two cohorts discussed literary and feminist theory as well as gender roles in the United States and the Middle East.
“This program has distinctly honed my ability to learn by allowing me to reflect on the interplay of my identities in society,” Shilpa said. “I can not emphasize enough my gratitude for this program and wish such an experience for everyone!"
THE DOUGLASS PASSPORT
Throughout the history of Global @ Douglass students have brought their Douglass pride far and wide! Kuwait
LEARNING ABROAD
The Global Leaders take a fully funded trip abroad each winter break to learn more about gender in the global world.
Global Leaders waited excitedly in the airport as they traveled abroad to Kuwait over winter break.
Students visited the American University of Kuwait, where they worked with students and professors discussing gender-based violence.
Upon returning home, students spent time gathering and presenting research on what they learned. This presentation focused on breaking misconceptions about the Middle East.
GLOBAL VILLAGE LLC
For Natalia Galarza DRC'26, the Global Village Living-Learning Community is more than just a community of peers, it’s a place to forge new ideas, share differences, and perhaps most importantly to Natalia—put words into action.
“Global Village cultivates the interests of students and offers a space for explorational learning,” said Natalia. “Participating in this living-learning community gives us the opportunity to discuss issues and themes we care about while forming real connections with other students, scholars, and instructors who are passionate about similar topics. Together, we brainstorm ways to resolve them.”
The Global Village Living-Learning Community is a set of themed “houses” at Douglass. Each house is comprised of a cohort of students who spend the academic year in deep examination of their topic of interest. Students in each house take a credit-bearing course together on their chosen topic, conduct academic research, and go out into the larger community to share their knowledge and foster tangible change.
The Global Health and Medicine House, Natalia’s chosen cohort, draws students with a variety of interests, including community organizing, nursing, public health and policy, and pre-med.
What makes the Global Village experience so unique for students is the emphasis on real world action. Each cohort develops service-learning projects, community events, research, and more to promote awareness to the larger community.
Alongside her housemates in the Global Health and Medicine House, Natalia helped plan and execute a community-based wellness event. “Nourish and Flourish: A Women’s Health and Self Care Event” invited students from the Douglass community to learn more about women’s health while providing a judgment-free space to share their own experiences. Students received free menstrual products, journals for self-reflection, and other wellness items. As they learned and listened, attendees engaged in a hands-on “de-stress” activity—decorating tote bags. These events, planned and run by the Global Village students with the support of their instructors and staff, give students the agency to create real change while building practical skills such as collaboration, event planning, project management, and creative expression.
“You get to meet new people with different perspectives and backgrounds,” Natalia said of her time in the living-learning community. “Through sharing our own personal experiences, we strengthen our bond and minds. The Global Village is such a unique learning experience, you just won't get that out of a traditional classroom setting.”
STUDENT RESEARCH
The two Global @ Douglass LLCs work together on research projects throughout the year. Check out some samples of their work below!
Students in the Global Village Sustainability House studied how action on the local level can combat climate change—both in New Brunswick and the larger world.
Students in the Global Village Human Rights House presented on racism in artificial intelligence, bodily autonomy, and intersectionality.
ADVANCE DOUGLASS
YOUR VISIONARY PHILANTHROPY MAKES DOUGLASS POSSIBLE.
The stories highlighted in this edition of the Douglass Now are only possible with the committed generosity of Douglass donors.
When you give to Douglass, your dollars clear pathways for students in traditionally male-dominated disciplines, increase student retention in difficult majors, and curate the empowering learning spaces students need to discover what they will offer our world.
Your giving today provides students at Douglass a foundation to thrive not only at college, but throughout their lives and careers.
EMPOWER
LIVING AND LEARNING
THE LIVING-LEARNING COMMUNITIES SUPPORT FUND:
GIFTS to the new Douglass Living-Learning Communities Support Fund help make Douglass a home for our students by funding themed communities where students live, study, research, and learn together. The fund supports all of Douglass' living-learning communities, impacting students in STEM, the humanities, social sciences, global programs, and the arts.
MORE WAYS TO GIVE:
THE DOUGLASS DIFFERENCE ANNUAL FUND expands the ability of Douglass Residential College to quickly capitalize on bright ideas and bold initiatives, as well as provide support for emerging needs. These resources truly define our difference, funding investment in programs, curricula, research, and scholarship.
DOUGLASS WOMEN ARE THE FUTURE OF STEM: Douglass leads the way! More than 50 percent of Douglass students major in STEM fields, supported by programs that help them achieve their full potential. Gifts to this fund support scientific research, mentoring and leadership initiatives, and innovative living-learning communities.
DOUGLASS DISCOVERY PROGRAM FUND brings Faculty Fellow scholars and artists to campus to work directly with Douglass students. Together they conduct research, undertake original projects, and explore fields as diverse as the fine arts, social justice, public health, and medicine.
DOUGLASS RESIDENTIAL COLLEGE WOMEN'S GLOBAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS: Douglass students think globally! Gifts to this fund support service learning at home and abroad. Students study international relations, human rights, community building, and the challenges affecting women, girls, and LGBTQIA+ people, all while having a once-in-a lifetime global experience.
douglass.rutgers.edu/give
SCIENCES LLC
"Bunting-Cobb Sciences LLC is where women in the sciences can be honest about our classes, our struggles, and our authentic selves,” said Kennedy Cill DRC’26
In college, community is everything. Students who feel valued, respected, and connected are more likely to succeed. Persistent gender disparities in the sciences, technology, engineering and math (STEM) can create barriers for women to find the friendships, role models, and academic support that round out a solid sense of belonging. Living-learning communities for women in STEM fill this gap. Since 1989, the Bunting-Cobb Sciences Living-Learning Community (Sciences LLC) at Douglass has provided tangible support that not only encourages students to persist but propels them to excel.
In partnership with the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, LLC students take a creditbearing house course, which changes theme each year. The upcoming course is Plants and Human Wellness, focusing on the uses of plants in food and medicine. They also engage in fun DIY science activities and have access to in-residence STEM tutoring and peer mentors. The residence hall features a free computer and printing lab as well as designated study spaces for both solo and group studying. For Kennedy, being a part of the Sciences
LLC has been a gamechanger in her career.
“I never realized how important it is to live in a residence hall that was made for a student like me, where I can get help just a few doors down,” she said. “Since living in Sciences LLC, I've noticed a significant difference in my academic performance. I have more incentive to apply myself. It’s even inspired me to do a research project on preventing burnout among college women in STEM.”
One of the most critical aspects of the community is the sense of empowerment students share. Together, they build confidence to speak up—both for themselves and other women in STEM.
“Being a Black woman in STEM, I feel at times that I am overlooked in a male-dominated program. Unfortunately, I have already experienced someone taking credit for my work,” said Kennedy. “In a world where we look at race and gender first, Douglass students need to know how to handle these situations effectively. I don't want to be labeled. I want to be seen and heard.”
Ultimately, Kennedy feels that living-learning communities like Sciences LLC can be beneficial for all women pursuing STEM degrees.
“Living in a community surrounded by women who push themselves is inspiring,” she said. “When you are around a growth mindset, you will eventually mimic those same ideals and habits. It makes you more likely to succeed yourself."
WHAT'S IN A NAME?
Bunting-Cobb Sciences LLC is named for Douglass Deans Mary Bunting and Jewel Plummer Cobb, both of whom had prolific careers in advancing women in science.
"
Living in this community created by Mary Bunting and Jewel Plummer Cobb, I feel supported by the legacy of women in STEM at Douglass. Someone was thinking about my needs as a STEM student before I even knew to think of them myself."
BUILDING COMMUNITY IN SCIENCE
Research shows that women STEM students succeed when empowered by a sense of belonging and collaboration. However, many don't experience inclusion in traditional classrooms and departments. See how Sciences LLC provides a place of belonging for Douglass science students.
LLC STUDENT SIMAR!
Sciences LLC students use chemistry to make lip balm in a STEM-focused community bonding event.
Sciences LLC students "de-stress" before demanding finals in science, technology, engineering, and math.
Sciences LLC students gather together for a STEM-focused career development panel.
COMPUTER SCIENCE LLC
According to the Society for Women Engineers, only 22.1% of bachelor’s degrees in computer science are awarded to women each year. Less than 5% go to Black and Latina women. This stark disparity is particularly striking in a world that relies more and more on new technologies in everyday life. By creating programs that help women succeed in computer science at the undergraduate level, Douglass seeks to ensure gender diverse leaders are always a part of future conversations surrounding technology.
Up to 40 students in Douglass’ Computer Science Living-Learning Community (CSLLC) live together on Busch campus, take a credit-bearing computer science course, and access special STEM mentors and opportunities. The community builds STEM identity and a genuine sense of belonging for Douglass students pursuing computer science, which is proven to be critical to improving retention rates among women in STEM disciplines. After the first year, students receive ongoing support throughout their time at Rutgers and are offered continuing opportunities to live together.
“Rutgers University has a very large student population. Navigating such a large and dynamic environment alone can be daunting, especially as a woman in a male-dominated field like computer science,” said Barghavi Gopinath DRC’26, a member of Douglass’ Computer Science LivingLearning Community. “Living and learning with peers interested in computer science, navigating the same space that I am, is extremely reassuring.”
As a specialized community, the Computer Science Living-Learning Community helps students focus on their goals in the field. In Barghavi’s experience, participating in the community helped her define goals in software engineering, data science, bioinformatics, statistics, and possibly even pharmaceuticals.
this community gave me a more comprehensive understanding of what Computer Science has to offer," she said.
The most valuable part of the Computer Science Living-Learning Community for Barghavi is finding other students who understand the experience of being a woman in the major. The friends and mentors she has found through the community have stuck by her side—both to celebrate her wins and to encourage her to persevere through times of difficulty.
“Without the CSLLC, I would not have this community of talented individuals who continue to inspire my academic journey,” she said. “Their passion, resilience, and determination never fail to remind me of my own capabilities to thrive in computer science. Most of the people I met in the CSLLC are my closest friends, and we continue to share cherished college memories together.”
AWARD WINNING
The Rutgers Advancing Women in Computer Science (AWiCS) group was awarded the Presidential Award for Service to Students.
AWiCS is a collaboration among Douglass, the School of Arts and Sciences, the Computer Science Department, and DIMACS. The group advances women in computer science across university offerings.
"As someone who started college unsure of what I wanted to major or develop a career in,
The Douglass Computer Science LivingLearning Community (CSLLC) is a key component of AWiCS’s undergraduate student-facing work.
DEAN MEGHAN REHBEIN & DOUGLASS STAFF
BARGHAVI GOPINATHDRC'26 AND MAHA KANAKALA DRC'24
NATIONAL CONFERENCES
Each year, students from the Computer Science LLC attend the Grace Hopper Conference for Women in Tech.
Over 85% graduate with a degree in Computer Science or Information Technology and Informatics.
ENGINEERING LLC
industry board rooms, and policy conversations are crucial to constructing a more accessible future for everyone. The Reilly Douglass Engineering Living-Learning Community (R-DELLC) prepares women engineers to become the leaders who will spark pivotal change in the decades to come. For biomedical engineer Katie Lynch DRC’24, R-DELLC served as a launch pad that led her all the way to the White House.
As a partnership between Douglass and the School of Engineering, R-DELLC provides undergraduate women in engineering the opportunity to live together while integrating fully into the engineering community. Students in this dynamic program participate in hands-on learning, mentoring, interaction with alums, and innovative programming centered on professional development and academic achievement.
“This program is the reason I found my professional path, the reason I had the confidence to run for leadership positions in student organizations on campus, and the reason I have been accepted into some of the most competitive public policy and public health graduate programs in the country,” Katie said.
The sense of empowerment built into every aspect of R-DELLC helped Katie land a coveted internship in The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) on the Science and Society Team.
“Walking up to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue was a surreal moment,” Katie said. "I was exposed to the nation’s top scientists, researchers, policymakers, and a group of phenomenal fellow interns. I also learned more about OSTP's efforts to incorporate Indigenous Knowledge into federal decision-making and strengthen the relationship between the Federal Government and Tribal Nations as well as to advance equity for Indigenous people.”
As an intern, Katie learned more about how engineering influences policy, and how she can apply her talents as a scientist to work on initiatives she’s passionate about.
“My main responsibilities included providing the Deputy Director, Policy Assistant, and policy leads of OSTP’s Science and Society division with critical operational support to advance major policy initiatives including Equal Opportunity in STEM, STEM Education and Workforce, and Social and Behavioral Sciences for Evidence-based Policymaking.”
Since its inception in 2012, R-DELLC has steadily
persist in the field.
“We are proud to share our retention rate,” said Dr. Meghan Rehbein, Dean of Douglass. “But we are prouder to share the inspiring stories of our students that lie behind the statistic. Students like Katie lead engineering professional organizations, present at conferences, and have been awarded membership to prestigious honor societies. We cannot wait to see what they will accomplish in the future.”
The network of hundreds of R-DELLC alumnae connects women engineers across generations, regions, and engineering disciplines. For Katie, the peer mentor she found through R-DELLC helped guide her to success.
“When I first met my mentor, I was a scared firstyear engineering student trying to navigate college through COVID-19,” she said. “We instantly connected over our mutual love for both policy and science.”
“I found my friends for life through the Reilly Douglass Engineering Living-Learning Community. I can rely on them no matter what.”
- KATIE LYNCH DRC'24
In addition to her work at the White House, Katie has completed internships at Merck and at the American Heart Association, expanding her perspective of what her engineering degree can accomplish for the world. She is the 2024 recipient of the Jewel Plummer-Cobb Trailblazer Award. After graduating, she will pursue a Ph.D. in Health Infrastructures & Learning Systems at the University of Michigan Medical School. Katie credits her success to Douglass and The Reilly Douglass Engineering LivingLearning Community.
“The power and impact of Douglass lies in the holistic nature of the programming,” she said.
“Douglass is not just research, academic support, and mentorship—it is also leadership development, community-building, and a fervent desire to empower others.”
BUILDING FUTURES HANDS-ON
The class of 2023 had an four year engineering graduation rate of 81%.
Reilly Douglass Engineering students connect with Douglass and Rutgers research programs, including Douglass' Project SUPER.
Reilly Douglass Engineering students design and create model roller coasters in class.
Reilly Douglass Engineering students work together to build solar cells.
PLAN YOUR LEGACY
VISIONARY DIFFERENCE
BRIAN (SOE'80) AND STACEY REILLY (DC'80)
THE REILLYS WITH R-DELLC STUDENTS
Brian and Stacey Reilly know the power of livinglearning communities. By funding immersive learning environments, their generosity produces confident, successful women graduates at an astonishingly high rate. In 2014, they established the Reilly Scholarship for Women Engineers. In 2015, they endowed the Reilly Douglass Engineering LivingLearning Community, providing first-year women in the School of Engineering with a unique livinglearning experience. Each day, Douglass students in engineering benefit from their visionary insight and generosity. The Reillys also help students launch their career journeys. Through the Reilly Program at the BOLD Center at Douglass, students in any discipline can benefit from the immersive workplace experience known as an externship and take advantage of a specialized professional development curriculum.
CORPORATE PARTNERS
10 YEARS OF CORPORATE PARTNERSHIP FOR LIVING-LEARNING COMMUNITIES: DOUGLASS AND PSEG
Collaboration from industry professionals makes Douglass programs strong. Working with its corporate partners, Douglass has been able to take science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) living-learning communities to the next level. Since 2014, the Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG), New Jersey’s leading energy provider, and the PSEG Foundation have championed Douglass’ STEM living-learning communities. Over the past decade, the PSEG Foundation has provided grant funding for programs at the Reilly Douglass Engineering Living-Learning Community, the Computer Science Living-Learning Community for Women (CSLLC), and Bunting-Cobb Sciences Living-Learning Community (Sciences LLC).
All three living-learning communities (LLCs) are designed to increase the enrollment and retention of women in STEM through special academic, mentoring, and community networks. The supportive environment helps students succeed and thrive in demanding engineering and computer science programs.
Financial contributions from the PSEG Foundation have provided critical mentoring,
academic, and program support that form the core of these LLCs. Specifically, the PSEG Foundation’s funding has helped cover the cost of the LLCs’ graduate student mentors, provided summer stipends for students to conduct full-time research, and sent Douglass women to industry conferences, such as the Grace Hopper Conference for Women in Technology.
“We recognize the importance of diverse representation in the STEM fields,” said Maria Spina, Manager PSEG Foundation. “There is so much value in community-building, which is essential to ensure that first-generation and underrepresented students have access to resources that will guide them on a path to success. Furthermore, we are also excited to partner with Rutgers Douglass on a mentoring program this fall that will enable PSEG employees to offer their professional and personal expertise and knowledge to Douglass students.”
Douglass thanks PSEG and the PSEG Foundation for their ten years Of dedication to advancing women in science, technology, engineering, and math!
INTERDISCIPLINARY EXCELLENCE
GARY (RC'74) AND BARBARA RODKIN (DC'80)
Gary and Barbara Rodkin have been champions of interdisciplinary education across the University, providing key support for the Honors College. At Douglass they have supported core curricular programs including Douglass Science Scholars and the Douglass Global Village International Service Learning Fund. This year, the Rodkins are funding the new and expanded Douglass Honors College LivingLearning Community. Their investments in students who are dually enrolled in Douglass and the Honors College will expand horizons for talented Douglass students. The Douglass Honors College experience will be enhanced, and experiential learning, research, and professional development opportunities refined, creating richer educational and communal experiences, increasing participation and extending the program over all four years to foster stronger outcomes.
Did You Know?
100% of your gift to Douglass will go to support students for the purpose you designate!
NO Gift Fees!
Your philanthropy directly funds vital programming, scholarships, and transformative opportunities for our students.
STRATEGIC PHILANTHROPY
TAX-SMART GIVING
Your generosity not only benefits the life-changing programs at Douglass, but also can be a tool to help you meet your long-term financial goals. Douglass giving specialists are available to work with you on various giving strategies that prioritize tax-smart giving, estate planning, and even income generation through charitable gift annuities. To connect with a giving specialist, email drcadvancement@echo.rutgers.edu.
Over half of Douglass' innovative programs are funded by donor support.
CONNECT WITH DOUGLASS ON SOCIAL
We want to see your Douglass memories on social media! Use our new hashtags to share! Include #LifeAtDouglass, #RUDouglass, and #DouglassPride for a chance at a re-post on the Douglass channels! Check out this user guide for more info on how you can connect with Douglass on social media.
