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Mentor and guide: App State resident assistants help students connect

View larger image

During move-in for fall 2021, resident assistants Gracie Brown, left, and Sarah Wallace are on-site at Appalachian State University’s Eggers Hall, ready to welcome incoming students. Brown, a sophomore from Wake Forest majoring in communication studies, said she served as a camp counselor for several years, and looks forward to applying her “people skills” to her position as an RA. Wallace, a sophomore from Raleigh, is majoring in social work with a minor in Spanish. Photo by Chase Reynolds

“Being an RA gives me purpose as a student leader and helps me stay motivated and engaged in campus life.”

App State senior Erin O’Neill, a double major in communication, journalism and communication, public relations

“Having my RA there to support me, show me around campus and make sure that my first year was enjoyable was something that I will never forget.”

App State junior Jon’Nae Williams, an exercise science major

By Megan Bruffy
Posted Aug. 13, 2021 at 1:20 p.m.

BOONE, N.C. — For many Appalachian State University students, living in an on-campus residence hall provides the chance to more easily engage with their peers and with university amenities and resources, according to Dr. Brandon Nelson, App State’s director of business operations for student affairs.

“Being an RA gives me purpose as a student leader and helps me stay motivated and engaged in campus life.”

App State senior Erin O’Neill, a double major in communication, journalism and communication, public relations

University Housing resident assistants (RA) lead the charge in helping foster these connections for thousands of students who live on campus each year. In 2021–22, approximately 6,200 students will reside in App State’s residence halls.

Each RA serves as a mentor and guide for 30–60 students on a floor or a living area within a residence hall. Their charge: to create a safe, welcoming environment for their residents and to cultivate opportunities for students to take advantage of all App State has to offer.

“Our RAs show an extremely high level of care and concern for their peers,” Nelson said. “They are actively engaged in making University Housing and App State a better place for future students, and they are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion.”

Connecting with residents

Erin O’Neill, a senior from Noblesville, Indiana, who has been an RA since her sophomore year, said RAs provide a support system for students from the very first day they move into their residence halls.

“Having my RA there to support me, show me around campus and make sure that my first year was enjoyable was something that I will never forget.”

App State junior Jon’Nae Williams, an exercise science major

“RAs are extremely knowledgeable about campus resources and we are always happy to help residents get connected with them. We’ve been in their shoes and we are excited to help them in their journey at App State,” said O’Neill, who is double majoring in communication, journalism and communication, public relations, with a minor in leadership studies.

View larger image

Appalachian State University resident assistant Will Hofmann, a junior from Durham majoring in communication, journalism, far left, discusses building policies with residents during a welcome event for students who lived on campus in summer 2021. Photo by Marie Freeman

Tips for residence hall life

Erin O’Neill, a senior from Noblesville, Indiana, who has been a resident assistant (RA) since her sophomore year at App State, offered these tips for students who are new to living in a residence hall:

  1. Come in with an open mind. You are going to be living with all types of people in your residence hall and that is a good thing.
  2. Attend the events hosted by your residence hall and RA. We love programming for residents and it’s even better when residents participate. It’s also a great way to get to know the people in your residence hall or on your floor.
  3. Don’t be afraid to reach out to your RA for anything big or small. We are here to support you as you live on campus and to connect you with resources to help you be successful during your time at App State.
  4. Make sure to bring items with you that will help you feel comfortable in your residence hall room. This is your home away from home.
  5. Living on campus is an amazing experience. It helps you feel more connected to the university, you get to live with your friends and peers and it’s also extremely convenient.

As an out-of-state student, O’Neill said University Housing staff helped her feel at home and discover her place on campus.

Junior Jon’Nae Williams, an exercise science major from Concord who is an RA in Summit Hall this fall, echoed similar feelings: “I wasn’t able to go home as much as I would have liked (my first year). Having my RA there to support me, show me around campus and make sure that my first year was enjoyable was something that I will never forget,” Williams said.

RAs engage with their residents in a variety of ways:

  • Being available. An RA is on duty from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. daily in their residence hall and helps residents with anything from being locked out of their room to dealing with interpersonal conflicts, crises or safety concerns.
  • Initiating App Chats. RAs schedule one-on-one conversations with each resident twice a semester. O’Neill said these sessions “help us get to know our residents, see how things are going and get them connected with any resources they might need.”
  • Hosting programs and events. RAs often partner with offices across campus for educational presentations and interactive events. O’Neill said RAs work hard to develop fun ways for residents to build meaningful relationships with one another and learn more about the university. She said her most successful program was a bracelet-making event, in which participants used multiple colors of beads, each representing a different emotion, feeling or goal. She then connected residents with on-campus resources and offices based on the beads they chose for their bracelet.
  • Sharing opportunities for engagement. Williams said her residents often ask her for recommendations of things to do on campus and in the local community, so she seeks out events and activities she can share with the students in her hall.
View larger image

Appalachian State University resident assistants routinely host events and programming to help students engage with fellow residents and learn about university resources. Pictured, App State students get to know one another during a welcome event for residents who lived on campus in summer 2021. Photo by Marie Freeman

Honing professional skills

Join the University Housing staff

Interested in becoming a resident assistant? Check out the recruitment process.

Learn more

The university employs more than 150 RAs each year. According to Nelson, one of the benefits of the RA program is students gain transferable skills and training that can help them in their future careers, including:

  • Time management.
  • Crisis management.
  • Communicating with diverse populations.
  • Developing events and programming.

New and returning RAs annually complete an intensive 11-day training, in coordination with offices, departments and programs across campus, to ensure they are well versed in safety protocols and campus resources and are prepared to mediate any conflicts or issues that arise within their residence halls. RAs are also required to complete professional development throughout the year.

“Few campus jobs require student employees to hone such a diverse set of career readiness skills — communication, leadership, critical thinking, intercultural fluency. The mentoring and training students gain as an RA is invaluable for students’ professional and personal development.”

Dr. Susan McCracken, director of career development and economic engagement at App State

Dr. Susan McCracken, director of career development and economic engagement in App State’s Career Development Center, said RAs have to “develop a unique set of skills ranging from program development, to mediation, to crisis management.”

“Few campus jobs require student employees to hone such a diverse set of career readiness skills — communication, leadership, critical thinking, intercultural fluency. The mentoring and training students gain as an RA is invaluable for students’ professional and personal development.”

Dr. Susan McCracken, director of career development and economic engagement at App State

“Few campus jobs require student employees to hone such a diverse set of career readiness skills — communication, leadership, critical thinking, intercultural fluency. The mentoring and training students gain as an RA is invaluable for students’ professional and personal development,” McCracken said.

According to Williams, who was an RA in the newly opened Raven Rocks Hall last year, her time as an RA has been helpful in improving “my people skills and also developing my creativity and problem-solving skills. I need all of these for this job and any job that I get in the future.”

“Being an RA gives me purpose as a student leader and helps me stay motivated and engaged in campus life,” O’Neill said.

What do you think?

Share your feedback on this story.

Tips for residence hall life

Erin O’Neill, a senior from Noblesville, Indiana, who has been a resident assistant (RA) since her sophomore year at App State, offered these tips for students who are new to living in a residence hall:

  1. Come in with an open mind. You are going to be living with all types of people in your residence hall and that is a good thing.
  2. Attend the events hosted by your residence hall and RA. We love programming for residents and it’s even better when residents participate. It’s also a great way to get to know the people in your residence hall or on your floor.
  3. Don’t be afraid to reach out to your RA for anything big or small. We are here to support you as you live on campus and to connect you with resources to help you be successful during your time at App State.
  4. Make sure to bring items with you that will help you feel comfortable in your residence hall room. This is your home away from home.
  5. Living on campus is an amazing experience. It helps you feel more connected to the university, you get to live with your friends and peers and it’s also extremely convenient.
Join the University Housing staff

Interested in becoming a resident assistant? Check out the recruitment process.

Learn more
Preparation is key

Each year, resident assistants complete an intensive 11-day training with coordination from the following App State offices, departments and programs:

  • Appalachian Police Department.
  • Campus Activities.
  • Counseling and Psychological Services.
  • Faculty-in-Residence Program.
  • Intercultural Student Affairs.
  • Office of Community-Engaged Leadership.
  • Office of the Dean of Students.
  • Office of Disability Resources.
  • Office of Title IX Compliance.
  • Orientation.
  • Plemmons Student Union.
  • Wellness and Prevention Services.
University Housing
University Housing

Find answers to all your questions related to on-campus housing, including housing applications, information about where to request maintenance for your room, where and how to receive packages, and more.

Learn more
Reimagined App State residence hall to offer community for transfer students
Reimagined App State residence hall to offer community for transfer students
Feb. 5, 2021

Beginning this fall, students who are transferring into Appalachian State University will have the opportunity to live in the university’s first residence hall designated for transfer students.

Read the story
The tradition continues — App State celebrates a hybrid Founders Day
The tradition continues — App State celebrates a hybrid Founders Day
Sep. 8, 2020

App State’s third annual Founders Day commemorates a 121-year history. Ceremonies include Bell Ringers Society induction and ribbon cutting ceremony for two new residence halls.

Read the story

About the Division of Student Affairs

The Division of Student Affairs at Appalachian State University is committed to the development of lifelong learners and leaders by engaging and challenging students within a culture of care and inclusion. The division consists of 16 units that offer activities and services to help students develop more fully by becoming global learners, fostering healthy relationships, appreciating diversity and different perspectives, understanding community responsibility, enhancing self-awareness, developing autonomy and living ethically. These units include the Career Development Center, Campus Activities, Office of Community-Engaged Leadership, Wellness and Prevention Services, Counseling and Psychological Services, Student Health Service, Parent and Family Services, University Housing, Student Conduct, University Recreation, Intercultural Student Affairs, Student Legal Clinic and Off-Campus Student Services, Electronic Student Services, Child Development Center, and Staff Development and Strategic Initiatives. Learn more at https://studentaffairs.appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.

“Being an RA gives me purpose as a student leader and helps me stay motivated and engaged in campus life.”

App State senior Erin O’Neill, a double major in communication, journalism and communication, public relations

Tips for residence hall life

Erin O’Neill, a senior from Noblesville, Indiana, who has been a resident assistant (RA) since her sophomore year at App State, offered these tips for students who are new to living in a residence hall:

  1. Come in with an open mind. You are going to be living with all types of people in your residence hall and that is a good thing.
  2. Attend the events hosted by your residence hall and RA. We love programming for residents and it’s even better when residents participate. It’s also a great way to get to know the people in your residence hall or on your floor.
  3. Don’t be afraid to reach out to your RA for anything big or small. We are here to support you as you live on campus and to connect you with resources to help you be successful during your time at App State.
  4. Make sure to bring items with you that will help you feel comfortable in your residence hall room. This is your home away from home.
  5. Living on campus is an amazing experience. It helps you feel more connected to the university, you get to live with your friends and peers and it’s also extremely convenient.

“Having my RA there to support me, show me around campus and make sure that my first year was enjoyable was something that I will never forget.”

App State junior Jon’Nae Williams, an exercise science major

Join the University Housing staff

Interested in becoming a resident assistant? Check out the recruitment process.

Learn more

“Few campus jobs require student employees to hone such a diverse set of career readiness skills — communication, leadership, critical thinking, intercultural fluency. The mentoring and training students gain as an RA is invaluable for students’ professional and personal development.”

Dr. Susan McCracken, director of career development and economic engagement at App State

Preparation is key

Each year, resident assistants complete an intensive 11-day training with coordination from the following App State offices, departments and programs:

  • Appalachian Police Department.
  • Campus Activities.
  • Counseling and Psychological Services.
  • Faculty-in-Residence Program.
  • Intercultural Student Affairs.
  • Office of Community-Engaged Leadership.
  • Office of the Dean of Students.
  • Office of Disability Resources.
  • Office of Title IX Compliance.
  • Orientation.
  • Plemmons Student Union.
  • Wellness and Prevention Services.
University Housing
University Housing

Find answers to all your questions related to on-campus housing, including housing applications, information about where to request maintenance for your room, where and how to receive packages, and more.

Learn more
Reimagined App State residence hall to offer community for transfer students
Reimagined App State residence hall to offer community for transfer students
Feb. 5, 2021

Beginning this fall, students who are transferring into Appalachian State University will have the opportunity to live in the university’s first residence hall designated for transfer students.

Read the story
The tradition continues — App State celebrates a hybrid Founders Day
The tradition continues — App State celebrates a hybrid Founders Day
Sep. 8, 2020

App State’s third annual Founders Day commemorates a 121-year history. Ceremonies include Bell Ringers Society induction and ribbon cutting ceremony for two new residence halls.

Read the story

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Appalachian Today is an online publication of Appalachian State University. This website consolidates university news, feature stories, events, photo galleries, videos and podcasts.

If you cannot find what you're looking for here, please refer to the following sources:

  • Podcasts may be found at Appalachian State University Podcasts
  • Stories and press releases published prior to Jan. 1, 2015 may be found in University Communications Records at the Special Collections Research Center.
  • A university-wide Google Calendar may be found at Events at Appalachian

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Archives

Appalachian Today is an online publication of Appalachian State University. This website consolidates university news, feature stories, events, photo galleries, videos and podcasts.

If you cannot find what you're looking for here, please refer to the following sources:

  • Podcasts may be found at Appalachian State University Podcasts
  • Stories and press releases published prior to Jan. 1, 2015 may be found in University Communications Records at the Special Collections Research Center.
  • A university-wide Google Calendar may be found at Events at Appalachian
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