AERIE LLC
A page within Multicultural Student Services
Academy of Excellence Representation Involvement and Engagement
The AERIE (Academy of Excellence, Representation, Involvement, and Engagement) program is designed to connect you with the diverse experiences and stories of multicultural communities. Just like an eagle's nest, which is built high and strong, AERIE at UWL—where our mascot is an eagle—symbolizes our commitment to creating a strong and supportive community.
Our goal is to enhance the first-year experience, ease the campus transition, and engage students from various backgrounds to help them feel a sense of belonging.
About AERIE
AERIE
AERIE is a new program under Multicultural Student Services for incoming freshmen for the academic year 2025-2026. AERIE intends to provide a safe space for support and a sense of belonging for our first year multicultural students and students interested in multiculturalism. Students may connect with others who share similar experiences and challenges related to their salient identities and reduce feelings of isolation. Additionally, we strive to offer exploration opportunities relating to racial identity development, helping students make meaning, reflect and grow as they experience their first year of college. By providing a space for learning with dedicated peer mentors and community building, AERIE will focus on student academic success and retention. Participants will engage in leadership opportunities to enhance their involvement, through multicultural student organizations and/or residence life. Students will have learning opportunities for mentorship, and on-campus resources that will impact their student success and connections.
Here are some benefits from being a member of the AERIE LLC
- Meet Life Long Friends
- Early Start: students move-in one week before all new freshmen
- Level Up: learn about campus without the hustle
- Mentor support from a current college student
- Advising support from professional staff
- Help afford living on-campus
- Feel a sense of belonging
All AERIE students are required to live in Laux Hall. Laux Hall will have a community that consists of all members of the program. This will provide a unique opportunity to build deeper relationships and learn more about your fellow AERIE participants.
Together we are stronger learners!
AERIE members are required to enroll in specific courses that aid in their identity development
These courses aim to comfort students so they can openly discuss issues related to race, identity, and their unique challenges, further empowering them to thrive in their academic pursuits.
AERIE Members should enroll in these classes each semester:
| Fall Semester Course | FYS 100 (First Year Seminar - All UWL Freshmen take course) |
| Spring Semester Course | RGS 100 (Introduction to Race, Gender, and Sexuality Studies - General Education Requirement) |
All AERIE students will be assigned a mentor that meets with them regularly to assist with the transition to college. AERIE mentors are upperclassmen students who have experiences with multicultural leadership and awareness of a variety of campus resources.
Meet the AERIE Advisor
Noona Xiong
Multicultural Student Services
The AERIE LLC is designed to connect students with diverse multicultural experiences, helping them transition into campus life, bridge dialogue on multiracial identity, and build a sense of belonging. It aims to build a strong community, offer academic/social resources, and provide opportunities for leadership development and deeper understanding of multicultural identities. Partnered with UWL Multicultural Student Services and Residence Life, AERIE offers tailored support for first-year students.
Testimonials
Here are testimonials from the MVP program
The MVP program was similar to AERIE and was a living learning community that offered mentorship opportunities.
“I couldn’t understand why being around people that looked like you was important to some people. I had never experienced what it was like to actually be around a group of other people of color and to feel that kind of comfort. It feels kind of weird that this school of 90% white people would be the one to provide me with this kind of experience, but it has been really good.” - First-year student
“Without the MVP program I would have felt lost, especially in the beginning. This program is how I made my first connections.” - Second-year scholar
“In my meetings with my advisors and mentor has indeed made me feel as though I’ve got a good system of dealing with anything that might happen to me in the future, and that’s a very good feeling and I’m glad I have these resources to help me along.” - First-year Scholar
“I am excited to be a mentor this year. I am excited to be able to help incoming freshmen get used to campus and college life. I also think I will have fun and be able to gain good experience mentoring people that will help me later on in life. I’m excited to see how this year develops and how I will grow as a person and a mentor.” - Second-year Scholar
"I loved the community that we have and liked living next to my MVP peers. I wish we could expand this program more to convert it into something bigger to guide students of color during their first years at UWL" - First-year Scholar
"This was such a great opportunity that I was given and I am glad I was apart of it. I got to meet and connect to people who I don't really know. As this is a PWI, recognizing I was not the only POC made me at ease. I really improved who I was through this opportunity." - First-year Scholar
"If I did not have MVP then I would not know about all the MSO’s and made many multicultural friends out of it plus it really made me want to branch out and I got to have experiences that I probably wouldn’t go to!" - First-year Scholar
"MVP was an amazing experience for me. I come from a hometown with little to no cultural diversity so being with other likeminded people was extremely comforting!" First-year Scholar
"As a freshman, I thought that having MVP it allowed me to be more comfortable already having a set community that I could turn to. I believe that a lot of students of color could benefit from this opportunity." First-year Scholar