Commons College at Jeffery Campbell House
On Sunday evening of Laurentian Weekend, Commons College took a walk from 78 Park Street to the Jefferey Campbell house, where Jon Duraj, vice president of student life, resides. Duraj had reached out to us weeks before classes started, inviting us to connect over dinner. “Last year, it was wonderful to see how active Commons was across campus and in the community, and I am looking forward to learning about the ways the group hopes to have an impact this year,” he wrote in an email. We were honored by the opportunity to talk to Duraj about our progress and his willingness to welcome such a large group of students into his home.
Over the last year or so, Commons has been working to clarify our mission and strengthen our presence on campus. Though many students know us for our large common room and awesome in-house DJ, Sammy Carp ’27, our purpose also lies in the classes that we take together, our weekly volunteering and our campus events. Duraj giving us the floor to talk about these efforts was really exciting for all of us.
Around 6 p.m. on Sunday, our 24 commoners filed into the living room, porch and front yard. With Sunday Night Football on the TV, we chatted with each other, Duraj, President Kate Morris and Jeff Frank, chair of the education department and the professor of our class, until Duraj gave an introduction. He started by thanking us for coming, then reminded us of the importance of Jeffery Campbell’s history at St. Lawrence University as the first Black graduate of SLU. Finally, he invited us to enjoy some pizza from Sergi’s.
After eating, we all gathered in one room and Duraj led us through a discussion. We told him about this semester’s class, a discussion-based analysis of the book “Life Worth Living: A Guide to What Matters Most,” written by three professors at Yale University, Matthew Croasmun, Miroslav Volf and Ryan McAnnally-Linz. We discussed the difference between happiness and fulfilment and how fulfilment is often accompanied by periods of struggle, an idea that the book grapples with. We also talked to Duraj about our weekly volunteering at the North Country Children’s Museum and how it allows us to build community outside of the SLU campus.
Duraj asked us to think about the habits and community that we’ve built at SLU, and what advice we would give to first-year students hoping to thrive. “Say hi the first time,” said Owen Kotula ’26. “Find something you like and do it every single day,” said Boone Schaffer ’27. “Make the most of the opportunities that are presented to you,” said Eden Keeney ’28. Each of us had a perspective to contribute, and Jon listened to everyone.
As Commons continues to develop its identity, recognition and affirmation from the administration means a lot to us. We left the Jefferey Campbell House feeling confident about how we articulated our purpose and grateful for Duraj’s considerate listening and discussion.