A cacophony of sounds swirls inside the University of Houston’s Cougar Village I, a freshman residence hall tucked away on the campus’ south end. On any given night, you may hear lively conversations, mariachi music, the coordinated shuffle of dance rehearsals — and the occasional infant’s coo.

You’re not hearing things. That delicate cry comes from Amelia, the newborn daughter of Associate Professor of Chinese Studies Melody Yunzi Li.

Li, along with her husband and daughter, is one of the faculty members living among the students on campus as part of UH’s Faculty-in-Residence Program. A collaboration between the divisions of academic affairs and student affairs, the program aims to strengthen the connection between students’ academic and residential experiences. (Click here to learn more about how UH is enhancing the residential experience.)

It’s working. Research shows that interactions with faculty outside the classroom can positively impact a student’s college experience, from GPA to degree completion.

“Home Away From Home”

Li has lived on campus since 2021, though she expressed interest in the program shortly after joining the University in 2018. For her, this role is personal.

Originally from Guangzhou, China, she completed her undergraduate and master’s degrees in China before earning her doctorate at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri — half a world away from home.

“The dorm experience is very crucial to a student’s development,” Li says. “I believe these extracurricular or cultural experiences can really change someone’s life, so I want to provide this home away from home.”

Building Community

Although Li teaches Chinese culture and literature, she strives to connect with as many students as possible from differing backgrounds. She hosts a variety of student-focused events for the residence hall, ranging from casual weekly coffee hours and study groups to cultural events celebrating various holidays. Every event is a touchpoint for Li to spark and nurture a relationship.

“There’s limited space and time within the classroom,” Li says, noting that students open up when they like and trust you. Living among students creates opportunities for organic, authentic connections, whether it’s through sharing meals or even the elevator.

“My original purpose is to foster a sense of belonging,” Li says. “I think that’s my favorite thing: to form a family outside [of] our family home with the students.”

Li shares her personal passions — like dance and mariachi music — with her students through selected programming. It’s also a way to model work-life balance while encouraging cultural immersion.

Li has brought her love of dance to campus through her Chinese dance team, Moonlit Petals. The group performs at residence hall events as well as campus festivals such as International Education Week. Dance in all forms is one of Li’s first loves. She met her husband, Luis, at a Latin dance event.

Li discovered her love of mariachi music through Luis, who’s Mexican. She was so taken with the genre that, after seeing UH’s Mariachi Pumas perform, she begged director Jose Longoria to play at her 2022 wedding. (He caved, performing with his internationally recognized group, Mariachi Imperial de America.)

Li’s efforts at connection have paid off, with several students acknowledging her as critical to their success. Luey Flores, who worked in Li’s residence hall for two years, credits Li with encouraging him to continue his educational journey through a master’s program.

“It was the best decision I could have made for myself,” Flores says. “Being involved with [Li’s events] taught me time management, organization, people skills, logistics, community outreach and, of course, culture. I grew up a lot because of her guidance.”

Raising the Next Generation

Li acknowledges the difficulty of balancing work with life. “They say having tenure and a baby at the same time [is] the best time,” she says, laughing.

As she adjusts to motherhood on campus, she knows that her role might shift a bit, but her goal of immersive education remains the same.

“I feel like it would be fun for [Amelia] to grow up in a college environment [around] all these diverse voices,” she says. “Just talking about the student body and how many languages they speak, these diverse voices would help her language and culture immersion.”

Li sees the potential for further mentorship too — as a scholar, professor, wife and new mother navigating life changes. “I think it helps them to balance the pressure of multitasking between different roles.”