We are honored to welcome your student into the Key Communities! The Key Communities began with the creation of Key Academic in 1998 when the university recognized a need to have an environment where students could live and learn together. In 2002, students who had participated in Key Academic asked for a sophomore year program, so we created the Key Plus Community with a focus on leadership development. Finally, in 2005, we added the Key Service Community in order to expand the opportunities for students and provide an intentional community around service-learning.

The goals of the Key Communities are to foster academic excellence, civic engagement, leadership development, diversity appreciation, and a supportive community by having students lives together in Braiden Hall and enroll in two to three of their first semester courses with a smaller group of 19 Key students. Key students also have a junior or senior Key Mentor to connect with them, provide information and resources, and serve as a guide throughout the first year of college.

Through the decade of Key’s existence, we have seen incredible success with the students in the program. Key students have earned higher grade point averages than the university, participated in university events and programs at higher rates, and have become leaders on campus and in the community.

We thank you for supporting your student to participate in a community that is dedicated to academic excellence. We have no doubt that this year’s group of Key students will be exceptionally successful, make an incredible impact on campus and in the community, and reach the goals that they set for themselves.

Please contact us if you have any questions and welcome!

Key Move In and Orientation