A student walks into the library with a research assignment, a question about registration, or simply the need for a place to study. Knowing which university office can help may come later. At Our Lady of the Lake University’s new Learning Commons, the first step can be a conversation.
Centered on the second floor of the Sister Elizabeth Anne Sueltenfuss Library, the Learning Commons connects library resources, academic assistance, peer mentoring and opportunities to engage with faculty. Its purpose is to make support easier to find—and a natural part of everyday college life.
Two months into the initiative, that vision is taking shape through faculty partnerships, student-led study sessions and personal connections that help students feel comfortable asking questions.
“Rather than expecting students to navigate the university’s support structure independently, we want to create an environment where they can begin with a conversation,” explained Maria Cabaniss, dean of the Sueltenfuss Library and Learning Commons, and Dr. Kirsten Komara, associate dean and director of the Academic Center for Excellence, in joint responses about the initiative.
Connecting resources around the student
The Learning Commons builds on the library’s established spaces, collections, technology and research expertise while strengthening collaboration with the Academic Center for Excellence (ACE), Retention Services and other university partners.
The approach recognizes that a student’s needs can cross several areas. A research assignment might call for help finding credible sources, understanding course material and organizing time. Connecting those resources gives students a clearer starting point.
The Saints Study Bar provides one such point of connection. Librarians and student peer mentors rotate through the space, welcoming questions and helping students identify their next steps.Students can also settle in with an assignment, use available supplies or enjoy self-serve coffee.
The goal is to make seeking assistance routine, whether students are working through a difficulty or preparing for their next academic milestone.
Students helping students find their way
Six Saints Advocacy Mentors, known as SAMs, help bring that approach to life.
Trained in active listening, communication and connecting students with resources, the mentors facilitate co-working sessions, answer questions and offer perspectives grounded in their own college experiences. Since the Commons launched, they have recorded more than 80 interactions with undergraduate and graduate students, including group visits and course-connected activities.
Their assistance ranges from navigating Blackboard and printing to helping students find campus services. When a student needs another office, mentors can walk with them and help make the connection.
Some of the most meaningful interactions begin without an academic question. In their reflections, mentors have described students returning to share something about their day, catch up or talk through a difficult experience. One mentor recalled spending a two-hour shift listening to a student who particularly valued having someone take the time to understand.
Those everyday exchanges help establish the trust that can make asking for support easier.
Bringing faculty and students together
The Commons also creates opportunities for students to meet faculty and advisors in a shared setting.
Just last month, approximately 60 students participated in Saints Step Up Day, which brought together freshman advisors, student-support professionals and faculty from disciplines including social work, education, psychology, business, English, biology and criminal justice. Students could ask questions, explore academic interests and make connections ahead of advising and registration.
Future Step-Up Days are expected to build on that model, with a more intentional connection between first-year advisors and faculty advisors in students’ chosen programs.
Other activities include English 1313 Studio Days, Blackboard Essentials workshops and peer-facilitated co-working sessions. The Commons also incorporates STUDYCON, an established university event that provides academic support and student engagement ahead of finals.
Early engagement, thoughtful assessment
Early library usage figures offer an encouraging picture of activity in the space.
From Aug. 17 through Oct. 29, 2026, the library recorded 10,840 uses, compared with 9,591 during the comparable period in 2025—a 13% increase. Second-floor usage, where the Commons is centered, rose 23.2%, from 2,491 to 3,070.
These figures count uses rather than unique students, and the increases cannot all be attributed to the Learning Commons. University leaders are developing measures specifically for Commons programming, peer mentoring and connections among services.
They also distinguish early engagement from longer-term outcomes. Understanding effects on academic progress, persistence and retention will require more time and assessment.
Extending the welcome
The initiative’s broader vision includes students beyond the San Antonio campus. Electronic library resources, remote research assistance and online ACE services support students studying at a distance. Peer mentors also use Microsoft Teams to connect with OLLU students online.
As the Commons develops, leaders plan to strengthen faculty partnerships, expand student leadership opportunities and better engage commuters, transfer students, veterans and graduate students balancing school with work and family responsibilities.
The invitation begins with a simple message: students do not need to know exactly what they need before coming in.
“Our hope is that students will come to see the Learning Commons not simply as somewhere they go when they need help, but as a place where they belong—a place to study, connect, explore ideas, build relationships, and find the support they need to succeed,” concluded Cabaniss and Komara.