Housing and Residence Life: Community & Engagement | Competencies & Learning | Care & Case Management | Assessment
For many students, being an RA is one of the first jobs, if not the first job they have ever had. This also means that for many students their first time having a conversation about their job performance or being evaluated by a supervisor. These conversations can seem really intimidating if you don't know what... Continue Reading →
Many students, including myself during my undergrad years, take on the RA or similar student staff role for financial reasons, to build connections, and/or to make a meaningful impact. However, the responsibilities of your RA role may not always align with your career or academic program. As a result, many graduating RAs, third-year RAs, and... Continue Reading →
~ Blog Posts Written By RAs for RAs ~ Balancing the responsibilities of being an RA with the often overwhelming demands of academic life can be a challenging endeavor. Being an RA comes with unique duties and expectations, while your work at school often requires substantial time and focus...sometimes too much. This can be a... Continue Reading →
~ Blog Posts Written By RAs for RAs ~ Anyone who has worked in residential life, from student staff to professional staff of all levels, have most likely come across training and strategies regarding students and how to build connections with them, but how effective are they really? Here, the fundamental aspects of a resident... Continue Reading →
With diverse personalities, backgrounds, and lifestyles, conflict is an inevitable part of the human experience. So long as we interact with others, we will argue with them over our perspectives and injustices we’ve collected. Whether it’s over someone eating the last yogurt you were saving or how to coexist within the same space, conflict is... Continue Reading →
Resident Advisors (RAs) have the unique task of creating community with the residents of the residence halls. This task of creating community is a big undertaking, which requires care, kindness, attentiveness, and is the responsibility of each member of the community. Collectively, the students living in our residence halls create a community atmosphere. Creating community... Continue Reading →
In this episode of Roompact's RA*Chat, Crystal sits down for an insightful dialogue with Edwin Serrano, a Senior Learning & Development Specialist at the University of Southern California. Edwin offers his unique perspective on leadership, tackling the age-old debate of whether leaders are born or made. He offers invaluable advice to Resident Assistants (RAs) on harnessing their leadership capabilities to navigate the landscape of internships and job opportunities. Additionally, he provides RA supervisors with practical strategies to foster leadership growth within their student staff teams. Moreover, Edwin candidly shares his personal journey of self-discovery, recounting how he cultivated confidence and unearthed a vocation that resonates deeply with his passions.
Roompact's bulletin board competition is now closed and we're ready to announce the winners. We received 131 entires (!), so picking ten was incredibly difficult. Some boards did an excellent job at educating residents, while others were just beautiful! We tried to select a diverse group of winners that reflected the diversity of the submissions... Continue Reading →
Being a resident assistant is a rewarding and demanding role. On top of fostering community, supporting residents, and dealing with various challenges, many RAs also navigate the pressures of academic coursework. The balancing act between these responsibilities can be a challenge, but it's entirely possible with the right strategies in place. Here are some practical... Continue Reading →
We're awarding a "Top Ten" Get a little something back for your time and effort. Roompact is holding its annual RA bulletin board contest! Here’s how it goes. This contest is only open to RAs at schools who currently use Roompact's software on their campus. Create a bulletin board and email us a photo (high-quality... Continue Reading →
In this episode of Roompact's ResEdChat, Crystal engages in a conversation with Emma Rash, who serves as a Security Analyst for a Defense Contractor. Her current role involves ensuring the safety of people, much like her previous experience as a Resident Assistant (RA). She generously shares her personal journey, discussing how she found her voice, built confidence, and learned valuable lessons about setting boundaries. Emma offers valuable advice to Resident Assistants, including emphasizing the importance of self-care by reminding us that we cannot effectively help others when our own cup is empty.
In this episode of Roompact's ResEdChat, Crystal engages in a conversation with Keneise Evans from the University of Iowa, delving into her experiences as a former Resident Assistant (RA) and the valuable skills she has carried with her throughout her career journey. Keneise generously shares insights into the skillset she developed during her RA days, including adept time management, effective budgeting, caring for others, and flexibility. She speaks directly to RAs on how the skills cultivated as an RA can shape their own path to a fulfilling career.
As a resident advisor, you likely have heard your department talk about assessment. What in the world do they mean when they say assessment? University housing assessment is a process where the university evaluates and gathers feedback from students about their experiences living on campus. It helps the university make improvements to housing services and... Continue Reading →
Roompact's door dec competition is now closed and we're ready to announce the winners. We received 70+ entries (!), so picking ten was incredibly difficult. We tried to select a diverse group of winners that reflected the diversity of the submissions themselves. Thank you to all who entered! Your ideas are now a resource for... Continue Reading →
National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH) chapters across college campuses recognize and celebrate outstanding individuals who make significant contributions to the residential community through the Of the Month (OTM) awards. These awards are a wonderful way to honor exceptional student leaders, dedicated staff members, and impactful programs. Crafting a compelling NRHH OTM nomination requires thoughtful consideration... Continue Reading →
For Pro Staff For Student Staff Roompact's "Quick Tips" series highlights ideas and suggestions you can put into your practice as either a professional staff or student staff member working in residence life and education. Click to read more from the series. As a resident assistant (RA) or student staff member, you play a pivotal... Continue Reading →
Looking to creatively advertise your floor meeting, program, or event? Or perhaps you want to get information out to your residents that they will pay attention to. The following are A to Z idea starters that will make you think beyond the traditional poster.Some of them are a bit whacky (admittedly), but some of them... Continue Reading →
For Pro Staff For Student Staff Roompact's "Quick Tips" series highlights ideas and suggestions you can put into your practice as either a professional staff or student staff member working in residence life and education. Click to read more from the series. The transition from high school to college is an exciting time for many... Continue Reading →
