Chemistry Professor David Son, his wife and children are the extended family of 170 students in an SMU residential commons. – Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences

Originally Posted: June 16, 2016

DALLAS (SMU)– For SMU chemistry professor David Son, making the decision to move his wife and two children from their comfortable suburban Plano home to an apartment in a student residential hall on the SMU campus was a family decision.

“We had to consider the consequences of uprooting our children, moving them to new schools and raising them among college students,” David says. Son, his wife, Heidi, 10-year-old Kaylee and 13-year-old Geoffrey have lived on the SMU campus in Boaz Commons since 2014, when the David and Heidi Son became Faculty-in Residence there.

SMU introduced the Residential Commons model in August 2014 to 11 residence halls, integrating the academic, residential and social aspects of university life. Faculty members live in the residence halls, in addition to Residence Life staff. Along with student leaders, faculty-in-residence help plan study breaks, holiday celebrations and trips off campus to Dallas sites such as museums or performances. They also serve as on-site mentors. Three of the ll faculty members who live in residence halls have young children.

“Living on the SMU campus has been a positive experience for our family,” Son says. READ MORE