Logan House Connects Students and Neighbors

The view isn’t the greatest – the panoramic windows face an alley between Sinto and Sharp – but the energy is absolutely palpable! This intentional living community is focused on building connections in and with the Logan neighborhood. Five GU students share the five-bedroom house, and a commitment to learning about the Logan Neighborhood – community strengths and assets, the history of the neighborhood and its relationship to the University, and critical issues important to residents. Importantly, the promise also includes accompaniment with residents, and advocating for the neighborhood on the Gonzaga campus.

It’s just the kind of community engagement experience Jon Williams finds rewarding. This is his second year in the residence, and as a rising senior he wants to take advantage of the exceptional opportunity to learn more about community-building and the community itself.

“We started with ourselves – as housemates,” Williams explains, “getting to know each other, setting down ground rules and expectations, sharing the values we want to live by.”

Williams has been building relationships in the neighborhood for some time, attending the Logan Family Dinners at the elementary school on Tuesday evenings and helping with the food distribution at Rogers.

“I’ve been surprised with how connected the long-term residents of this neighborhood are,” he says. “Their day-to-day experiences are part of what they have in common and they actively look for ways to connect with each other.”

Last November the housemates conducted a games and crafts event at one of the Logan Family Dinners – “and we had other projects planned for the spring before COVID hit and we had to cancel,” Williams says. He’s disappointed that the global pandemic has also cancelled this fall’s Logan Block Party.

“We hope we can participate in more neighborhood events such as the clean-up, and we are actively looking for ways to connect,” he says. “We want to thank our Logan neighbors for their openness and hospitality, for accepting us as temporary neighbors, and for being part of our journey through these college years.”