Residential Assistants play a vital role when it comes to students attending college and their overall experiences while they are here living on campus. Here at Averett University, the residential assistants are here to assist those students who might have questions especially if this is a student’s first year at college. Not only do they provide assistance but the residential assistants are here to help make Averett your home for the next four years. Once students have a feel of the college experience here at Averett some students are inspired to apply to be resident assistants themselves for the next year’s incoming freshmen.
Matthew Isom, a senior residential assistant in Fugate residence hall, has important responsibilities that he and his staff of five residential assistants must conduct during the academic school year. These tasks are meant to help make sure that all students are being safe while they’re here on campus.
“Some of the responsibilities of being an RA are checking in & out students, performing Health and safety inspections, and conflict resolution and crisis management,” Isom said. “One of the most important responsibilities of being an RA is building a community. You do this by getting to know your residents and having a relationship with them.”
Being a residential assistant can be a time-consuming responsibility. It is a necessity that all residential assistants be able to manage their time while being students, student-athletes, or being involved in other extracurricular activities.
“Time management is a huge aspect in handling RA and being a student-athlete,” Isom said. “Over my 3 years of being an RA, I have learned various time management techniques. From having a whiteboard that has my to-do list on it, to reminders and a calendar on my phone.”
Being a residential assistant can help people develop their leadership skills and other qualities that a person will need once they graduate from college. Christopher Brown, a residential assistant in Main residence hall, practices these skills while he performs his responsibilities.
“Some skills that we gain from being an RA is being able to talk to other people and being able to read people,” Brown said. “In life and certain careers, you are going to talk to a lot of people and just learn how to communicate and do things efficiently and effectively. It is important when it comes to having a career.”
After students complete a full academic school year some students might be interested in becoming a resident assistant for the next incoming freshman class. In this way, they can share about their experiences when they were freshmen coming into college for the first time.
“Each year the housing and residence life department will put out the applications,” Brown said. “Just go online and fill out the application and they will conduct interviews for the resident assistant position.”
