While moving out and living on your own can be hard, thousands of students have been able to call the University of Utah a second home. The University of Utah offers housing for all kinds of students and situations. Picking the right dorm can set you up for success down the road by introducing you to new friends, organizations, and educational opportunities.
To help simplify your decision-making process, we talked to resident advisors, current students, and housing administration about why you should be part of the Lassonde 400 residential group at Lassonde Studios.
1. Location, location, location
The University of Utah is a massive campus, sprawling across nearly two miles of hills and valleys. Many of the dormitories are situated just past the George S. Eccles Legacy Bridge at the top of campus.
Lassonde Studios is at the heart of it all. Located right next to the humanities buildings and just across from the business plaza, you can walk out your front door and into your next class without breaking a sweat.
“Lassonde is 100% the most conveniently located dorm on campus,” said Barry Carta, a current Lassonde resident and business major. “Going to the business and engineering buildings, the union, the library, nothing’s more than five minutes away.”
You’ll save yourself even more time grabbing a meal at Miller Cafe, conveniently located on the first floor of the Studios.
“We use our meal plan there all the time,” Carta said.
2. Your friends live next door
Imagine living with someone who shares your passion for the arts, service, sustainability, game design, adventure, or the outdoors. If you move to Lassonde Studios, that’s a reality. No matter your interests, there’s a floor at Lassonde Studios that houses your future friends.
Carta found his place on the fourth floor — adventure and gear.
“My freshman year, I moved here from out of state,” he said. “I knew absolutely no one. That’s one of the big reasons I chose Lassonde Studios as my dorm — we have shared bathrooms, kitchens, common areas, everything. You can’t brush your teeth without running into someone new, which, for me, is really cool. Lassonde was built so that it’s impossible to not find friends and people you click with, and that made moving here much less scary.”
It doesn’t matter if you live on the Games and Digital Media, Global Impact and Sustainability, Products, Design and Arts or Adventure and Gear floors — the people are passionate, Carta said.
“Everyone here is super extroverted,” he said. “They’re always in common spaces talking to people, planning things, and getting together. If I didn’t live here, I don’t think I could have found a community like this so quickly.”
3. Your breakfast, lunch, and dinner are downstairs
The Miller Cafe serves all kinds of food. If you can’t find something you want from the grill, the deli, snack section, buffet-style breakfast corner, or grocery station is sure to satisfy you. And if you’re worried about pancakes and eggs running up your expenses, don’t worry — you can use transfer meals and Flex dollars here, anytime.
It’s a go-to for Carta and his friends.
“Compared to other dorms where you might need bikes or a longer walk to get food, we’re in a really good position,” he said.
4. … And so is everything you need to launch your startup
At Lassonde Studios, not only are you surrounded by people with big ideas and the passion to follow through, but you’ll also have nationally recognized resources at your fingertips.
You can grab lunch on the first floor, and then head over to the Make Space and use prototyping tools to bring your idea to life. In between classes, you can attend workshops to learn new skills, get professional, one-on-one advice from experts, and more — all on Lassonde Studios’ ground floor. Seriously: you can wake up, walk downstairs, and start creating.
Events like the Utah Entrepreneur Challenge and Get Seeded are hosted in the events space on the ground floor, so you might be able to snag some funding while you’re at it.
5. Get inspired
Lassonde Studios houses just over 400 students with more than 60 majors from 37 states and 12 countries. While many students in our building want to start their own companies, that’s not a requirement to live here.
“We want students who are curious and driven,” said Kathy Hajeb, a director at the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute and associate professor. “That’s all you need to develop entrepreneurial skills here. It’s amazing how quickly students get an entrepreneurial mindset at the Studios — we help challenge you. You’ll learn a lot about yourself in the process, and that’s a big part of what college is for.”
Feeling inspired? Learn more about Lassonde Studios and apply to live here at lassonde.utah.edu/studios.
