Celebrating a Decade of Explore LLC

For 10 years, Explore Living Learning Community (Explore LLC) has provided a science-centered home for Georgia Tech students. 

“It’s more than a place to live,” says Kimberly Blaise, Explore LLC assistant director. “Explore is a community built around science where undergraduates interact with faculty, collaborate with students who share their same interests, explore career options, and enjoy social activities.” 

A partnership between the College of Sciences and Georgia Tech Housing and Residence Life, Explore members include first-year and transfer students interested in research, pre-health, or other College of Sciences-based tracks. Explore is one of six Living Learning Communities at Georgia Tech. Students in each community are offered opportunities to investigate an interest through experiential and academic programming while residing with students who share that enthusiasm.

“The Explore LLC community has produced over 1,500 alumni since its founding in 2014,” says Cameron Tyson, assistant dean for Academic Programs in the College of Sciences and faculty director of Explore LLC. “It’s a foundational experience shaping how students experiment with different passions and interests throughout their years at Tech. While they are in Explore and throughout their time at Georgia Tech, our students’ commitment and enthusiasm for learning shine through, making them sought-after candidates for research, career, and academic opportunities.”

For the 2024-2025 school year, 200 students have signed up for Explore: 160 first-years, 20 transfer students, and 20 mentors.

“My dad always told me to surround myself with smart, hardworking, and driven people because that’s the best way to grow,” says Nicholas Amobi, a first-year biology major. “I chose Explore because I’m here for self-betterment and achieving my ambitions; I think the chance to network and be around others with goals in the biosciences will help set me up for future success.”

LIVING

For the first time this fall, students will live in apartment-style housing at the Eighth Street West Apartments on West Campus.

For undergraduate student Mireya Ramirez, Explore feels like home.

“Explore really helped me adapt to life at Georgia Tech because I was able to start small,” says Ramirez. “Getting to know my roommate, my floormates, and my RA helped me feel more at ease.”

The resident activities, Ramirez says, are the highlight of living in the dorms: 

“My favorite activity was when Explore hosted a month of floor vs. floor competitions. I loved the fun and silly games that helped me get to know my floormates.”

Some of the many activities in the 2023-2024 school year included outings to a Hawk’s game, Battery Park, and the musical, Hamilton, as well as an on-campus scavenger hunt, science murder mystery night, and a Waffle House food truck event before finals.

Ramirez says her social growth is the biggest benefit to participating in Explore. Throughout the year, she felt encouraged to form study groups and reach out to new friends with similar niche interests. 

She continued building that community of support — one where she met her closest friends — when she returned as an RA for her sophomore year.

“There are so many different people who choose to do science at Georgia Tech. We are all very diverse, but by living in Explore LLC, we all have something special in common,” says Ramirez.

LEARNING

Explore students are encouraged to enroll in classes reserved for Explore students, fostering teamwork skills and meaningful connections with professors and peers. These experiences are complemented with individualized tutoring and advising sessions in-house. Pre-health and research advising are also offered exclusively to Explore students and are led by field professionals and program alumni. 

Alex Boresow, a second-year physics student, appreciates his year in a community that shares his passion for scientific inquiry. 

“I attended a variety of events where I could work with people like College of Sciences Career Educator James Stringfellow, and where professors spoke about their research projects and different opportunities to get experience,” says Boresow. “I now have a network of other students who are taking similar classes and a support group of individuals who share my passion for knowledge and understanding.” 

Additional career-building events during the 2023-2024 school year included resume and interview workshops; a co-op and internship overview with the Georgia Tech Career Center; and networking opportunities with alumni mentors.

COMMUNITY

Ten years is an impressive accomplishment, but Explore LLC leadership views the past decade as just the beginning. 

“It is our goal to make the program better year after year,” says Blaise. “This year we are introducing Explore students to apartment-style housing — which is not normally an option for first-year students — and growing the program with the addition of transfer students. We’ve spent the summer preparing for the year ahead and have exciting activities lined up like our annual retreat, Young Physicians Initiative, and social activities to get our Explore students engaged in their community.”

Blaise believes Explore’s fun activities, professional growth opportunities, and home-away-from-home atmosphere will continue to make a strong impact on student success at Georgia Tech

Explore students definitely agree:

“What’s not to love? Apartment-style dorms, gaining connections with other pre-med students, meeting teachers, career preparation, and the dorms are even close to the Campus Recreation Center, Explore has it all!” says Bharath Susarla, a first-year environmental engineering major.

“Explore made my first year at Georgia Tech one of the best in my life; the transition to college was easier than I ever expected due to having such a supportive community around me,” sums up Boresow.