Academic Villages to Change Housing Application Process

The Academic Villages at Pitt-Greensburg are the most popular housing options available on campus. With its proximity to academic buildings and the Coffee House alike, alongside with the spacious apartment-style residence halls, incoming students to veteran upperclassmen yearly fight for a spot.

Typically, the Academic Villages require a separate application, as well as a GPA requirement. However, with an ever-changing campus, the requirements tend to shift frequently. This year, students are no longer competing academically for a spot in one of the Village’s residence halls.

Instead, they are competing physically.

The First Annual Village Hall Hunger Games is set to kick off April 1, much to the excitement of students and faculty alike.

“I wasn’t initially going to apply for the Villages,” said incoming freshman Katniss Everdeen. “But my sister wanted us to house together, so I volunteered—as tribute, I guess.”

Each application is put into a drawing, in which two students from each of the six individual Academic Village residence halls are called to battle for approximately a month, or until there is one man left standing.

This year, the athletic department was kind enough to purchase bows and arrows for the students to use in their encounters, and Chartwells is catering. Several students have also begun to utilize the fitness center on campus to physically prepare for the games.

At the opening ceremony on April 1, there will be an introduction by Dr. Robert Gregerson, Pitt-Greensburg’s president. Immediately following will be the drawing, formally The Reaping, conducted by Dr. Effie Trinket, the new director of the Academic Village.

“There are protective measures put in place to guarantee the safety of students,” Trinket said. “But you never know. They can get pretty competitive.”

For more information on the First Annual Village Hall Hunger Games, selected students can use their communicuff’s given at the opening ceremony, and other students can reach out to Pitt-Greensburg’s Gamemaker committee with any other questions or concerns.