College is a special time in a student’s life. It’s a time to learn new skills while preparing for a career and also a time to explore new horizons and make wonderful memories with lifelong friends.
Davenport University’s Sydney Babbitt, Harper Rowland and Avyana Douglas are making those memories as we speak. This is the trio’s first year living together and they are having the best time experiencing all that Davenport’s beautiful W.A. Lettinga Grand Rapids Campus has to offer, like modern and spacious dorms, a vibrant campus life and active student life.
Those looking for the full college experience, like Babbitt, Rowland and Douglas, opt to live on campus because that’s where all the action is. They love the hustle and bustle of daily campus life and being able to sleep in because classes are just minutes from their dorm.
Babbitt is a marketing major who appreciates living so close to Davenports’ Academic Building and Dining Hall, which Niche.com ranked as one of the top 10 colleges with the best dining options in Michigan. She also appreciates the numerous study spaces available on campus, the ability to use computers and printers in the Center for Learning and Engagement, and convenient access to tutors.
“I really like that I don’t have to worry about driving to class every day, especially in the winter,” Babbitt said.
However, what she has found to be most beneficial about living on campus is the personal growth she has experienced. “Living on campus has been a great experience and has helped shape who I am,” said Babbitt. “Being on my own has allowed me to become more independent and to learn so many important life skills.”
Her favorite thing about living on campus is the sense of community that forms when you get to know the other students in the dorms. “I made my closest friends and current roommates my freshman year when I walked through their open door on move-in day and introduced myself. I can’t imagine my life without them, and if I hadn’t lived on campus, I would have never met them!” she said.
Babbitt knows she’d miss out on a lot if she didn’t live on campus, especially attending sporting events with her friends at the Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex, just a short drive from the dorms. “I’ve been to almost every home football game since I started at Davenport and also enjoy going to basketball games and volleyball matches with my friends,” she said.
Like Babbitt, Rowland also chose to live on campus because of the convenience it offers. “I could be living in an off-campus apartment this year, but I like being on campus, close to everything I need. It’s also nice to be able to walk a short distance from my dorm to my classes rather than having to drive to campus, she said.”
Rowland, a human resource management major, said her favorite thing about living on Davenport’s campus is the dorms. “Davenport’s dorms are the nicest I’ve ever seen,” she said. The living area, kitchen and bedrooms are all so spacious and it feels more like an apartment than a dorm.”
Rowland enjoys working at the Campus Store and attending football games with her friends. “Part of the college experience is living on campus in the dorms with other students. If I didn’t live on campus, I would be missing out on a lot, especially making new friends, she said.”
Douglas enjoys sharing a dorm with Rowland and Babbitt and said her main motivation for living on campus is that everything is close by, which means the marketing major doesn’t need transportation to get to class or the dining hall. “What I love most about living on campus is the freedom it gives me and the people I’m surrounded by every day,” said Douglas. “I enjoy going to sporting events and being with my friends. I’m also in the pep band as a color guard performer, which keeps me busy and is a lot of fun.”
According to Andrea Prins, director of Residence Life, another great reason to live on campus at Davenport is the safety aspect. “Davenport’s W. A. Lettinga Grand Rapids Campus was named the safest campus in Michigan in 2021 and is among the safest universities in the country, offering peace of mind to students and parents,” she said.
Additional reasons why Davenport students enjoy staying on campus include:
- It’s easier to become involved with student organizations.
- Students can take advantage of the Student Activity Center.
- Students will be close to the Wellness Center, which offers health services and counseling free of charge to all students.
- There are numerous on-campus employment opportunities available.
- Easy access to the Panther Resource Closet, which is located on the lower level of the Academic Building on the W.A. Lettinga Grand Rapids Campus.
- Shuttle service from the W.A. Lettinga Campus
Babbitt, Rowland and Douglas look forward to finishing out the school year together and making even more memories next year, not just as roommates but as best friends.
Click here to learn more about Davenport’s five housing options.
Click here for a guided virtual tour of Davenport’s W.A. Lettinga Grand Rapids Campus.
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