The ACT Humanities program will be discontinued after the conclusion of the 2024-2025 academic year.
Action + Community + Thought
ACT Humanities at Collins LLC, a partnership between Collins LLC, the College of Arts and Sciences, and IU’s Arts and Humanities Council, is a residential program that encourages you to deepen your humanities education through unique academic programming and experiential learning opportunities. Studying the humanities helps you to foster independent thought, develop skills in critical thinking and clear communication, see viewpoints from multiple perspectives, and question assumptions. In our rapidly evolving world, these foundational skills are essential to intellectual development, artistic growth, and an engaged civic life.
ACT Humanities students are members of the Collins Living-Learning Center. As a Collinsite, you’ll participate in LLC activities, including Q-classes, student groups, and our signature events. Additionally, you’ll have access to all of Collins’ resources, including our arts facilities, our Cinema, and our programming spaces.
ACT Humanities students also have access to IU’s Cook Center for Public Arts and Humanities, a multidisciplinary hub for research and creative activity located in Maxwell Hall. Additional benefits include unique behind-the-scenes experiences with campus humanities programs, career workshops with alumni and other experts, and internship and travel opportunities related to career plans.
Unique program features
Eligibility
ACT Humanities is open to students from all majors and disciplines who want to explore community change, social justice, and professional development in a residential community. ACT Humanities students will live together on the same floor in Collins LLC.
Application
To join ACT Humanities at Collins LLC, you must first complete the housing application. Be sure to answer all Collins-specific questions and indicate your interest in the ACT Humanities program. A member of the ACT Humanities staff will reach out to you at your IU email address with the additional Residential Agreement detailing membership requirements. For questions about housing in the Collins Living-Learning Center, contact Assistant Director Leigh Suggs at leidavis@indiana.edu.
Become a peer mentor
Funding is available for returning Collins residents interested in becoming Peer Mentors. Contact ACT coordinator Jennifer Goodlander (jgoodlan@iu.edu) for more information, and to apply.
Be sure to mark the “ACT Humanities” option on the Collins-specific questions on your IU housing application.
ACT Peer Mentor
I am thrilled to be deeply involved with ACT Humanities of the beginning of the year. I enjoy sharing thoughts and listening. Whether your issue is academic or ACT-related, I will make every effort to find and inquire about the materials you need. Please don't hesitate to get in touch with me if you have any questions; I'm very friendly and will always try to accommodate you.
Hello! I am Valentina Gianesi and I am double majoring in English and Journalism. In addition to being a member of ACT Humanities I am also the Dancing Star Editor at Collins. My love for the arts has been nurtured within me at a young age by my parents and has continued to be nurtured from friends and teachers as I grew up. Due to this, I truly value supporting the arts in the community and making a positive impact at Collins, which is why I held a Q-project that focused on bringing the community together to repurpose a table that is now in the Annex.
Valentina Gianesi, 2023 ACT Humanities member
The College of Arts