The Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute welcomed L9, the ninth group of student residents at Lassonde Studios, for the 2024-25 academic year in August. This diverse group will “live, create, launch” together in this unique building for student entrepreneurs and innovators at the University of Utah.
All students at the U are welcome at Lassonde Studios, which has events and innovation space for all students on the first floor. Only 400 are selected to live on the upper floors each year after a competitive application process. Residents are known as the “Lassonde 400.”
“I think living at Lassonde is a once in a lifetime opportunity,” said Erin Christiansen, a first-year resident at Lassonde Studios from Herriman, Utah. “There are so many resources to help propel you towards your future, and most importantly, living at Lassonde is filled with so much fun.”
Here are facts about the L9 residents:
- 408 residents
- 41 states represented
- 50+ majors
- 39 U.S. states represented
- Top state represented: Utah (154), California (71), Colorado (29), Washington (21), Oregon (12), Idaho (11), Texas (9), Illinois (9)
- 8 countries represented: China, India, South Korea, Mongolia, Peru, Vietnam, Venezuela, United States
- 256 first year, 148 upper division, 2 graduate students
Residents are studying many of the subjects offered at the University of Utah. Other students are have undeclared majors and chose Lassonde Studios as a good place to figure out who they want to become.
Christiansen is one of the new first-year students living at Lassonde Studios. She plans to major in philosophy and is a resident student leader.
“I chose to live at Lassonde Studios because I love the diversity of students you get, even in a relatively small community,” Christiansen said. “I also like the numerous opportunities I get to be involved in my community through leadership and activities.”
She enjoys the artistic and social qualities of the community. She said, “I really enjoy the atmosphere at Lassonde and all of the fun artistic touches that make the building unique. I love all of the friends I have made and how social the community is. I also really like how student-led and empowered the whole community is.”
Topher Lloyd, of Cincinnati, Ohio, is a fourth-year student living at Lassonde Studios. He is an electrical engineering student and a resident student leader at Lassonde Studios.
He moved into Lassonde Studios after spending time there as a guest and enjoying the atmosphere. “There are always so many students working on new and exciting projects, and there are so many opportunities to get involved with new activities that really drew me in,” he said.
“I like how student-focused the space is,” Lloyd added. “It has been a really comfortable living experience because it gives me everything I need to be successful. It has amenities like the Make Space where I can work on class or personal projects with extra materials, the Miller Cafe where I can eat, amazing and knowledgeable staff, and the ability to control the AC in my own room. Other places I have lived on and off campus can’t compare.”
Lassonde Studios has been featured by publications from around the world, including The New York Times and Fast Company, and it was named by Architectural Digest as one of the nine best university buildings in the world. Visitors have come from around the world to learn about the building and entrepreneur programs managed inside.
The Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute has received about three times the applications as there are bedrooms every year since it opened in fall 2016.
The application to live at Lassonde Studios for 2025-26 opened on Aug. 1, 2024, and the priority deadline is Jan. 9, 2025.
Learn more about Lassonde Studios and apply to live here at lassonde.utah.edu/studios.
