Mid-Atlantic Association of College & University Housing Officers
M A C mUa gaz H inOe
INSIDE JOURNALING MY WAY THROUGH
A Personal Reflection of the NHTI 2015 Experience
macuho.org
SPRING 2016
THIS ISSUE STUDENT STORYTELLERS
DRAGONS, UNICORNS, AND INTROVERTS IN RESIDENCE LIFE!
Are they real?
SPRING ISSUE
Editor & Chair DON BRENNAN
Editors NICOLE CLEMSON TORY ELISCA KEVIN BATTERSBY CONAL CARR
TABLE OF CONTENTS 4 A Letter from the President - Brian Medina 6 ACUHO-I Foundation Update 8 MAPC Celebrates 20 Years of Job Placement and Excellence 10 Journaling My Way Through: A Personal Reflection of the NHTI 2015 Experience
12 Experiencing Poverty: An Approach to Diversity Education at the University of Scranton
14 “It’s Not You It’s Me”: How to NOT be Your Own Professional Roadblock
16 Everything was Awesome: Lego Serious Play Training
Designer KATE CASSIDY
Contributors LIZ TUTURICE CURTIS CHAN BRIAN MEDINA BROOKE CLAYTON DEREK SMITH DEBBIE SCHIEBLER JAN MASON GINA KIEFER SARAH MARTIN GENICKA VOLTAIRE JOHNNY KOCHER MAX SHIREY JESS LANCIANO SIOBHAN SKERRIT STEVEN COURAS JOANNE GOLDWATER SHANA ALSTON JENNA KONYAK
20 The Waiting Game: The Higher Ed Job Search 22 Student Storytellers 26 Fearless Hope Through Radical Empathy: Narrative 4 Training at Seton Hill University
36 Another Timely Warning Was Sent Out Now What? 38 Dragons, Unicorns, and Introverts in Residence Life! Are they real?
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JULIA LEIGHOW LUCIE BLAUVELT ANTHONY FLORENDO ERIC MOCHANZ ALEXIS WASHINGTON JACOB WOODS ASHLEY SHAW JULIO ANGEL GARCIA
MACUHO MACUHOMAGAZINE MAGA ZINE
ORE M T U O K C E CH M PHOTOS FRO TION A I C E R P P A A R DAY 2016!
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A Letter
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Brian Medina
Tr ansition , Tr ansform , Tr ansce n d I just returned from another amazing Mid-Atlantic Placement Conference (MAPC). In speaking with the many young professionals in our midst, I am inspired toward a brighter and promising future in our field. Thank you to everyone who attended, and particularly to those who volunteered and coordinated the event. The truth is that most of our campuses will be experiencing significant staff transition. Whether we are hiring new RAs or recruiting hall directors, our departments will look very different in the year ahead. In many ways, we can parallel this to our work with first year students, transitioning to college for the first time, excited yet nervous with the prospect of so much change. About a year ago, I had the opportunity to revise the Division of Student Affairs’ Mission and Vision Statements at Frostburg State University. When discussing what comprised the core of our work, I envisioned a 3-part slogan: Transition, Transform, Transcend. I wanted to keep it simple and straightforward, yet able to be unpacked in many different directions. I have already mentioned our student and staff transitions, although it should be noted that transitions persist well beyond the first few weeks of college. Declaring a major, augmenting a friend group, or selecting new oncampus housing as a second-year student demonstrates only a few of the many changes impacting our students beyond their first year. Our role as Student Affairs professionals centers on the transformation of our students, staff, and colleges. From the details of a specific roommate conflict to the large scale renovations and new residence halls on campus, we are tasked with changing the landscape of the lives of thousands in only a few pivotal years. It is why MACUHO and other organizations are meant to fill in the gaps of our staff development and training. We can not only network socially, but discuss topics about our vocation that can be revised or requires a new perspective to better serve our student populations. MACUHO also prepares us for our own growth toward the next professional position in our careers, affording us new opportunities to be challenged and styles to adapt. Let us not lose sight of the goal, however, as we mentor students toward graduation and beyond. A diploma should not merely be a piece of paper to get a job, but a beacon to the masses that this person has the critical thinking, problem solving, mediation, communication, and other skills to demonstrate their preparedness as engaged global citizens. To transcend is not to become a god, but rather to consider multiple perspectives beyond personal beliefs and to serve the common good even if it requires sacrifice. Transition, Transform, Transcend. These are three very lofty concepts with more practical value that I could possibly write in one entry. Nonetheless, I urge you to consider your own journey to embrace healthy change in your life and in the lives of those you impact.
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Finally, I was recently asked to contribute to NASPA’s efforts toward equity and inclusion by writing about intersections of identity, which I’ve titled Queer Spirituality. Check it out if you would like to know more about my own transition and transformation. I would love to discuss these and many other transformative experiences further, in the hope of learning from you as much as about me. Best,
Brian Medina MACUHO President
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ACUHO-I Foundation Update by Shana N. Alston, ACUHO-I Foundation Regional Cabinet Member, MACUHO
Dear Colleagues: I hope this letter finds you well. I would like to share updates to the region regarding two major initiatives that are supported by the Foundation, the ACUHO-I Funded Research Grants Program and The James C. Grimm National Training Institute (NHTI). In today’s data-driven world, demonstrating the value of campus housing through research and collective information is more important than ever. With this in mind, the ACUHO-I Research Committee worked with association members and volunteer leaders to develop a research agenda that addresses several high-impact topics that face our profession and to launch ACUHOI’s research grant program. The first funded research studies were selected in October 2015. Learn more about the research grant program at http://www. acuho-i.org/resources/cid/5030. We are excited to announce that a second funding round is now open and accepting proposals through April 14 at 11:59 pm. Financing and association support are available for selected studies that address any of the three priority areas: (1) public-private partnerships, (2) student outcomes, and (3) student success. Learn more about these research priority areas at http://www. acuho-i.org/knowledge-resources/research-and-data/research-agendapriorities. Accepted research grant proposals will receive grant funds up to $7,000 (USD). We encourage you to submit a proposal, and to share this information with faculty, practitioners, and graduate students in your network. ACUHO-I is committed to the creation and dissemination of knowledge about campus housing and the broader issues that impact the post-secondary experience, and we need your help to create these critical resources. The ACUHO-I Funded Research Grants Program is underwritten in part by Bedloft, and supported by the ACUHO-I Foundation. Please direct questions about the research grant program to Holly Asimou, Research Initiatives Manager at ACUHO-I (holly@acuho-i.org). Thank you. Shana N. Alston ACUHO-I Foundation Regional Cabinet Member MACUHO
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THE JAMES C. GRIMM NATIONAL TRAINING INSTITUTE: The James C. Grimm National Training Institute (NHTI) is celebrating its 25th Anniversary. NHTI 2016 will be held from June 7-12, 2016. Michgan State University and University of South Florida will serve as host sites for 2016 participants. I am honored to announce that Denise Davidson (Bloomsburg University, PA), Kevin Williams (Temple University) andSusanne Ferrin (University of Sciences in Philadelphia) will be representing the region as faculty members. Our donations to the Foundation support scholarships for participants from the MACUHO region to attend NHTI. To learn more about NHTI, please visit acuho-i.org/events/nhti/ participants.
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MAPC Celebrates 20 Years of Job Placement and Excellence
by Jess Lanciano, MAPC Chair and Area Director – Shepherd University
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hen the Mid-Atlantic Placement Conference (MAPC) first started in 1996, the amount of success was unpredictable—no one was sure how far MAPC could go. I am pleased to report that this year, 20 years later, MAPC has successfully continued its valued traditions of job placement, networking, excellence, and success. While there may have not been a big MAPC birthday cake or party, MAPC’s committee celebrated by offering outstanding customer service, positivity, and dedication to making MAPC a great experience for all of those in attendance. Our committee members took hold of new initiatives and were able to execute them with the utmost professionalism and excitement. The most notable initiative is the upgrade to our mailbox system. In the past, our mailboxes were free standing and available at all times of the conference. This year, we updated the mailboxes to two separate Mail Centers—one for Candidates, and one for Employers. The Mail Centers were staffed by volunteers so that participants could engage and interact with volunteers; this major upgrade assisted MAPC attendees by providing immediate customer service to questions or concerns and a positive networking opportunity with a friendly face. We continue to see an increase in registration, both Candidates and Employers, and an increase in our interview totals overall. We have been pleasantly surprised by the number of Candidates and Employers taking their own initiative and scheduling interviews prior to their MAPC experience—416 of our interviews were pre-scheduled prior to arriving at the conference! It is exciting to see the continued changes and evolution of the job interviewing and placement experience. As MAPC continues to evolve and improve, we are excited to meet any and all new challenges that we may face. We look forward to continuing the MAPC experience in 2017! In fact, we are currently on the search for a new host site for MAPC 2017 (we have already outgrown our space in Reading!)—if you have any suggestions, please send them to: joswald@shepherd.edu. It has been an honor to serve as MAPC Chair this year; I and the committee have received so much support and MACUHO love, it is indescribable! Thank you all so much for trusting me to lead this incredible MACUHO endeavor. I look forward to continuing to serve as the MAPC Chair and to
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JOURNALING MY WAY THROUGH: A PERSONAL REFLECTION OF THE NHTI 2015 EXPERIENCE
by Gina Kiefer, Co-Chair of the MACUHO Personal & Professional Development (PPD) Committee & Resident Director at Alvernia University
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ttending the James C. Grimm National Housing Institute (NHTI) last June, was one of the greatest personal and professional experiences of my life!
I am proud and honored to have had the opportunity to grow, learn, and call myself an NHTI alum. Go Silver Dawgs! 10 |
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The great thing about NHTI is that each experience is unique. Each year, the faculty are different and have different areas of expertise and interest, and the participants are new, eager professionals open to learning and excited for the NHTI experience. You get what you put into the NHTI experience, an expression often heard when people talk about any personal or professional experiences you encounter. My NHTI faculty member, Renee RichardGonce offered a great piece of advice to my cluster (small group) on my first day when I was feeling most nervous about going through the experience. She told us to take the time at the beginning or end of each day to reflect about what happened and write it down. At first I was thinking, how will I be able to fit this into an already tight schedule? By the end of the second day, I found myself willing to sacrifice thirty minutes or so of sleep in order to get my thoughts down on paper. Here are a few thoughts that I wrote down during the five short days of NHTI:
DAY 1: In general, I feel very shy and disconnected with the experience. I made a lot of small talk with people, but I didn’t make any meaningful connections.
DAY 2: Beginning to learn that the process is just as important (maybe more) in determining life goals and ambitions as it is for professional development. I spend a lot of time thinking about the “best” thing to say. Don’t lose sight of simply being and spending time in the moment. There are A LOT of competencies! [Referring to ACUHO-I Core Competencies] Work on refining the ones I want to improve upon and learn more about.
DAY 3: Disappointed to hear that moving to different types/sizes of institutions is very difficult. *Challenge Accepted.” I wish there were more international professionals here because their experiences are quite different from my own. [We had two international participants, one from South Africa, one from Canada] I need to set goals! It’s easier to see the competencies in the sessions. I am VERY tired! DAY 4: Did not set goals yet. Would like to set some that are beneficial for my current position that would help me gain useful experience for future positions. Personal note: I learned more about CrossFit and Paleo diet from fellow participants. Still tired. But loving this experience, living in the moment, and enjoying getting to know people outside of the region.
DAY 5: Received journal from Renee. The entire experience went by super-fast! I’m looking forward to implementing my goals and action plan and moving onward! I truly enjoyed the NHTI experience because I was able to let my guard down and talk to our amazing faculty members and other professionals as people and did not feel like we were competing against one another or auditioning for future jobs. On the last day of NHTI, Renee gave each of us a journal to use as we please. She asked us to write notes to one another. Reading the notes from peers gave me a boost in confidence and showed me some things I did not see in myself prior to this experience. I transferred my notes about the experience into this journal, and I check-in periodically and write more about the items I commented on during the experience. I also note areas of personal and professional development. You do not have to attend NHTI to begin keeping a journal for yourself. It does not have to be strictly for professional or personal use only. In housing and residence life, sometimes it feels like a million things happen in a day. If you do not write some of them down, you may forget them. I try to focus mostly on positive things that happen in my life, but remembering and recording negative events can also be pivotal for moving forward in both our personal and professional development. In this fast-pace job environment, I encourage you to grab a journal or notebook and write whatever and whenever you can. You will thank your future self for taking the time to do it!
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Experiencing Poverty:
An Approach to Diversity Education at the University of Scranton
by Julia Leighow and Lucie Blauvelt, Area Coordinators at the University of Scranton
F Lucie Blauvelt
Julia Leighow
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ounded in 1888, the University of Scranton is a nationally-recognized institution founded on the Catholic and Jesuit traditions of excellence and the pursuit of God in all things. Our community prides itself on our intentional practice of incorporating our values into everything we do, and the training of our student leaders is no exception. As we began to think about what this year’s winter training was going to entail for the Resident Assistant (RA) student staff team, we knew we wanted to incorporate a piece of service education into the training. As a Jesuit institution of higher education, service is vital to our mission and something we encourage our students to engage in during their time at school. We decided to reach out to our Center for Service and Social Justice to ask them for their help in planning this activity for our team. With the time constraints and limited space we had for winter training, they suggested we put on a poverty simulation. The poverty simulation is a program created to give people the opportunity to immerse themselves in how
it feels to live in destitution. As a Residence Life team, we felt the program would give the RAs the chance to push themselves to think about issues and concepts they do not think about on a daily basis, but also equip them with the empathy and skills necessary to support that population within our communities. Going into the simulation, we encouraged the RAs to enter with an open mind. They started the simulation eager to engage in the activities. Student leaders were assigned and split into their simulation family groups, where they were encouraged to discuss how they were going to approach the coming “weeks”. Each family was faced with various challenges from being a single-parent household to not having enough money to take the bus to their jobs. Every 15 minutes represented a week for the families, and at the end of each week they had to regroup and make plans for how they would survive the next week. [If your institution hasn’t utilized this educational resource yet, please contact us! It’s certainly something all students and staff would benefit from experiencing. It was fascinating to see how, as the time progressed through the simulation, the students grew more and more irritated and desperate when they were unable to get money or food for their families. It was unbelievable to see how serious they were taking the immersion experience and then to witness all the raw emotions that came along with their simulated struggles. At the end of the “month”, as part of the closing and debrief, we had all the RAs go around in a circle so that each of the 88 could express how the simulation made them feel. Words like distraught, helpless, and overwhelmed were
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mentioned repeatedly. It was interesting to see how the tone of the room changed from the beginning to the end of the simulation. Perhaps the best part of the simulation was seeing how it empowered the students to want to go out and actually do something with this new knowledge. One of our regions was so impacted they immediately started brainstorming ways in which they could incorporate this new urgency for service into their programming efforts within their has titled this project RACE Tracks - or RAs’ Continued communities. Inspired to be the difference, they Education. Not only does it offer developmental opinitiated monthly service projects and also coordinated portunities for our students, but it also provides our with other departments on campus to provide students entry-level and other professional staff members with the opportunity to donate some of their meal swipes workshop experience. This semester, our Head RAs reeach week. It’s so exciting to see how our training quested the chance to facilitate a community-service was able to not only provide them with the skills and RACE Track for interested participants, and then plan knowledge to better serve to bring that expeour communities, but also rience back to camreinvigorated in them a “OUR HOPE IS THAT IN CONSISTENTLY pus to have meanpassion for the institution’s ingful conversations EDUCATING THEM ON OUR VALUES, core values and mission. about how they can Our hope is that we tie those efforts into THEY WILL TAKE THOSE WITH THEM can provide opportunities the RA experience throughout the academic BEYOND THEIR TIME HERE AND SET and grow the service year for our student leaders movement within our THE WORLD ON FIRE.” to rejuvenate their commitcampus community. ment to our programming In all that we do at and institutional goals, to The University of Scranton, our Jesuit foundation is the never let their passion and compassion grow stale. driving force. Because our student leaders embrace Each semester we also require our RAs to participate that mission and incorporate it into the programming in one or two supplemental workshops with the intenefforts within our residence halls, that passion and tion being that these experiences can inspire them and commitment trickles down into our student body. We contribute to their personal and professional developencourage our community to be men and women for ment. We all know the RA position can positively imand with others, and our hope is that in consistently pact their lives far beyond the four years at their institueducating them on our values, they will take those with tions, and these workshops are designed to emphasize them beyond their time here and set the world on fire. that to the student leaders. The University of Scranton
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“It’s Not You It’s Me”: How to NOT be Your Own Professional Roadblock by Siobhan Skerrit, MACUHO Sponsorship Coordinator and Resident Director at Temple University
professionally grow either at the institution or in your role. You know what you need, but the thought of the change makes your stomach hurt and question your competence and confidence. In order to get past it, you talk yourself out of it and find ways to bury yourself in work and anything else that can help you ignore what’s making you feel emotionally, physically, and professionally confused. You’ve become your own hindrance and could have missed out on a great opportunity. It’s an all too familiar story in our field. It’s one thing when others get in your way, but getting in your own way is more dangerous than you think. Getting into your own head can not only set you up for failure, but can stop you from growing, not only in the field, but maybe even as a person. Here are some thoughts that people have about taking the next step and how to combat them: “I’m not ready. I need more experience.” This may be true. You may have only been in the position for two years and the job description calls for three years of experience. But that doesn’t mean the experience you need is in your current position or department. You may need to take a second look at that job description and list your daily tasks to realize there are more similarities than you think. Let this motivate you to at least look for other positions or opportunities to build on your experience. “I don’t want to leave my department/students/ colleagues.” We work in a field where people graduate, move up, and move hether it’s the end of your grad out. That’s the nature of what we do. Being loyal and having stability career or you’ve been in the is great, but in higher education you can’t go anywhere for anyone same position for quite some because there’s a strong chance they time, we get this feeling when we realize it’s “Being loyal and having stability will leave to advance their own career and aspirations. It’s great to think about time to move on. It’s is great, but in higher education others, but forgetting about yourself is either excitement when someone approaches you you can’t go anywhere for anyone not being a good example of growth and development. about opportunities in the because there’s a strong chance “_______ worked there and they region, compliments (or didn’t like it. That’s a sign.” they will leave to advance their constructively criticizes) They’re not you. There might be your work, or signing own career and aspirations.” some (or much) truth to the experience onto HigherEdJobs.com they were brave enough to share with seeing that dream job you, but do your own research. The mission of the university or plans to in DC. For some, it’s knowing the program or restructure may be more in line with what you need to advance. Don’t contract is up soon and we have to look for count it out solely based on someone else’s account. another opportunity. For others, you’re still in “My resume isn’t ready. The position will be closed by the time I get it love with your position but there isn’t room to
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who took a job they were tapped for or detoured them from done.” It’s takes a few minutes to email or call the hiring manager their planned route to success. Their transitions, challenges, or their human resources department to ask when the and failures allow these same people who many aspire to be position will be closing. After you know the date, make an like to become the individuals that we see today. Embrace the challenge and entertain what the action plan to get your resume up to position could offer you. Your plan A par. Ask for feedback from a colleague, “Embrace the challenge may not be what the higher education or even someone out of the field. Meet and entertain what the cards have in store for you. Be flexible the deadline and be better prepared for next time. position could offer you.” and take a chance. Isn’t that what we tell our students? What if you didn’t even get an Now that you realize someone interview? That’s fine. You now have time to assure you’re prepared for when that next dream else in the region has had the same thoughts and fears you have, recognize it’s fine to feel that way. But what are position surfaces. It’s still a step in the right direction. “It’s not the route I need to take. I’m supposed to be a you going to do from here? When are you going to take action? How are you going to let these experiences push ___________ in my next position.” This idea of climbing the ladder and getting the title you out of your comfort zone and into something new? isn’t always THE way to get to your ideal position. There are stories of many Deans, Vice Presidents, and and Chancellors
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EVERYTHING WAS LEGO SERIOUS AWESOME: PLAY TRAINING
by Eric Mochnacz, Assistant Director for Training and Development at Seton Hall University
I was starting to panic. The semester was inexorably heading towards our Winter Student Staff Refresh. We had tentatively booked a keynote speaker that had wowed our Residence Hall Directors and Residence Coordinators at a regional conference. When all of your professional staff agrees on something, you need to make it happen. Unfortunately, this keynote speaker had fallen off the face of the Earth. Complete radio silence.
Eric Mochnacz
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Coming off of a contentious fall semester where we assigned roommates to Resident Assistants to manage over occupancy, I truly wanted our Winter Refresh to be an opportunity to hit a reset button for our department and our student staff. We had already rebranded the two days as a “Winter Retreat”, with a true focus on rejuvenating our student staff. With that in mind, my training committee and I knew we needed to outsource our spring retreat kickoff. Our Resident Assistants and Tutors in Residence had heard enough from us throughout the year and having any of our staff talk for an hour would probably do the complete opposite of rejuvenating our 68 paraprofessionals. And with one small suggestion from another member of our central management team, I went from “I’m panicking” to “Everything is Awesome!” My colleague, Cheryl Janus, Assistant Director for Housing Operations and Marketing, has had a diverse career in higher education and sports management. In her athletic career, she had been introduced to Lego Serious Play (LSP). During one of our central meetings, I had asked my team how we could make our Winter Retreat different, unique, and fun for the staff while still being developmental. Cheryl jumped up and promised me that she would do the leg work, but if our budget could support it, she would advocate for LSP to come to our campus. It sounded different. It sounded unique. It sounded fun. It sounded developmental. I was game (no pun intended…I swear.) According to it’s website, LSP sets out to do the following—“During the facilitated meeting you will be building landscape models with LEGO® bricks, giving them meaning through story-making, and playing out various possible scenarios—a process which deepens understanding, sharpens insight, and socially ‘bonds’ together the group as it ‘plays’ together. “ Although these are things we regularly do in the Student Affairs field, LSP is more popular and often utilized in corporate America. However, based on this description, I knew it would be a perfect fit for our department especially as we attempted to reboot and rejuvenate our staff. As promised, Cheryl did her leg work and was able to make connections with a number of LSP facilitators; then, she struck gold. Karen Lynch, an LSP consultant based in Connecticut, has a niece on the Seton Hall cheerleading team and, given her niece’s positive raves about Seton Hall, Karen was very excited to work with us. Also, she saw it as a great opportunity to break into the world of higher education and student affairs. Once we had agreed to work together, Karen and I were in constant contact about making sure the two hours she was scheduled to spend with our staff was beneficial to students and professionals alike. Providing outlines on a regular basis, talking to me on the phone with her questions, and encouraging me to include all our staff in these activities showed me she understood our goals and was a willing partner to meet those goals. On the day she was scheduled, all 85 members of Seton Hall Housing and Residence Life staff spent two hours playing with Legos. We were encouraged to tell stories with our Lego bricks about our strengths and our areas of challenge. We built structures that demonstrated our goals for the next year. As we moved among different groups, we were able to use
Lego bricks to share our proudest moment on staff as well as one of our most challenging times as a student affairs practitioner. Throughout these builds, Karen built in moments of reflection and sharing which allowed us to connect with each other in a way we had not connected as a staff. At the end, the staff was able to create an award for themselves and then create a personalized mini figure that represented who they were. I feel that we had met the goals we had set out to achieve by introducing LSP to our staff. It was different, unique, fun, and
developmental, which was our hope. These sentiments were echoed in the evaluations that the student staff completed. One said “I felt like a kid again.” Another stated that it was “fun and reflective” and that she had the opportunity to “connect with student staff and professional staff on a deeper level.” A number of student staff focused on the fact that they were able to explore their creative side. Lego Serious Play was probably one of the most innovative things I have brought to training in my 11 years of working in residence life and it was something that will stand out as a highlight of the training programs I have put together.
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The Waiting Game: The Higher Ed Job Search by Debbie Scheibler - MACUHO Director of Annual Programs and Assistant Director for Housing & Residence Life at Rutgers-Camden
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f you’re actively job searching, you know that the higher education job search season has kicked into high gear. MAPC has wrapped up and by the time of this publication, NASPA and ACPA will have also concluded their job placement conferences (or “meat markets” as they are affectionately referred to by so many). Webinars on how to be successful in your search prep and initial interviews have come
and gone. Now job searchers are in the waiting game; waiting for that all-important on-campus interview offer call, or the even more coveted final job offer call. It can be a very stressful time for those who are searching. I humbly offer you a few tips on how to stay realistic in your views of the search process, engaged while you wait it all out, and educated as you experience each part of the process:
Stop comparing yourself to your peers. Some of your friends will be getting offers left and right while others won’t get so much as a nibble. Support one another, for sure, but allow your colleague’s searches to be just that- their own. Your search is YOUR search. There isn’t a right or wrong way to experience it, as it is based solely on how you prepare for it, attack it and navigate through it. Find satisfaction in a job well-done. Interviewing can be draining and stressful, but it can also be exhilarating and challenging. In my opinion, it is all how you look at the total experience. If you have done the institutional research and performed at your best during an interview, then you have done everything you can. Be satisfied with this and also know that if you’ve done your best, the rest is up to the selection committee. Although, a good ole fashioned thank you card never hurts (and really, you need to still do this step). Acknowledge how far you’ve gone in a search, even if it isn’t to the top spot. This is easy for me to say and difficult for you to understand if you are in fact the person who did not get the offer letter. But seriously- you need to know how tight the job race is out there, and making it far into a search shows the worth you have as a candidate. Even though you might not (most likely will not) receive an offer from every place you apply to, reaching the upper echelons of a search is a testament to your potential. Don’t forget that and try to capitalize upon that for your next application process. And for what it’s worth, I have been a #2 candidate
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before, so please believe me when I say that using this as a teachable moment as well as one of pride is very healing. Use what you’ve learned. Have you responded to the same version of the questions “tell me about yourself” or “what is your experience with diversity” so much that you could answer it in your sleep? Good! Your interview responses are going to come more naturally moving forward, thus making you come across more authentic and less anxious. Did someone pull you aside and give you some feedback on your wardrobe choices? Fantastic! You will look sharper than ever the next time you sit down faceto-face for an interview. Was a mentor honest with you about your skill set for a job that you thought you were prepared for? You’re lucky to have someone who can be so forthcoming with you! Knowing you level of mastery of professional competencies, operational skill sets and current practices in our field help you
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to be a realistic, legitimate candidate. It also helps you to best plan out your personal professional road map. Do not sit and wait by the phone. Here’s the thing about job searching- you can prepare and dress to the nine’s and say everything right and have a firm handshake and great eye contact and do seemingly everything ‘right’, but after you’ve laid it all out on the table, it is still a waiting game. If they call, they call; if they don’t they don’t. You don’t have any more control over it once you’re done your best, and you still need to remain focused at your current position as well as aware of other opportunities that might come your way. Do not beat yourself up for previous applications that didn’t turn out how you’d hope they would. The “ghost of applications past” won’t help you out in the future; shake them off and keep on moving. Always be ready to go for the next thing, even if it the timing isn’t what you originally anticipated what it would be. DO NOT avoid applying for something new simply because you are waiting (hoping) for a call from somewhere you’ve previously interviewed at. It breaks my heart when candidates have a feeling of loyalty to a position they’ve applied to and allow another great opportunity to pass them by because they felt a need to wait it out for University X when University Y’s position has great potential, and they just failed to apply for it. A great friend of mine likens the job search process to playing the lottery. And we all know that you can’t win if you don’t play. CELEBRATE! If you’re one of the lucky ones to receive a final job offer (please remember to negotiate) make sure you celebrate this achievement! There are absolutely more job seekers than there are open positions, so landing a new job at any level of the profession is worth congratulating yourself. Just like the lottery, I hope that in your job search process you are dreaming BIG! Good luck in your search and congrats to all of you who have been offered positions for the next step in your career. When the time comes, remember to pay it forward and help the next generation of our field achieve their professional dreams.
ZE BRON R O S SPON
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Student Storytellers INTRODUCTION Student Storytellers is a continuing initiative from the REC Committee to provide our organization with inspirational and motivational stories from students and staff across the region. It is our goal to provide recognition to these incredible individuals through their own words, or the words of others, and allow us all to benefit from their positive and encouraging example. Through this recognition we hope to provide education and connection so that as we all share in our stories we all become a closer MACUHO family. Please share your own stories through our online submission form located on the REC Committee Facebook and MACUHO page or by contacting a member of the REC Committee. Johnny Kocher Residence Life Specialist , West Virginia University, REC Committee Co-Chair
Story 1 “I play the Magic the Gathering card game for many reasons. I like the interaction with friends, the challenge of outwitting another competitor, and the new experience that comes with each game. The overwhelming reason I fell in love with the game though is the ability to dive into the multiverse and escape from reality for a few moments. College is extremely stressful and at times it feels like I am slowly being dragged down and my aspirations are nothing more than dreams. My stress gets so bad during finals week that it hurts my immune system and I usually get terribly sick for the last few weeks of the semester. Magic is the best way for me to get rid of this stress. Whether I’m playing in a small event,
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casually with friends, or a 3,000 person Grand Prix, my love for the game always allows me to escape. We get many comments from our club members that indicate the same thing. Students tell us that if it wasn’t for our club and the ability to come and relax on a Saturday with other Magic players they would have no friends, be struggling with the stress of college courses, and simply stay in their room all weekend. One of the biggest compliments we have ever received is when a student told us that he could not wait until Fall Break at WVU was over because he did not have a good home life and the people he met through our Magic club were the only friends he had. Some people say it’s just a game but for that student and everyone else that Magic has made a positive impact in their lives, it is so much more than that.” PS: Our University President, Gordon Gee, is also a Magic fan. Jacob Woods Resident Assistant, West Virginia University Bennett Tower; President, West Virginia University Magic the Gathering Club
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“ THIS IS MY CHANCE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN MY STATE AND COMMUNITY AND THERE IS NO GREETER FEELING THAN ASSISTING OTHER EMERGENCY PERSONAL IN SAVING LIVES.”
Story 2 On January 22nd, 2016 many of us received the phone call or emergency alert that our institutions were closing down in preparation for the massive winter storm that was bearing down on the east coast. If you were awake early that morning making coffee or preparing to enjoy the day off from the normal morning routine, you may have noticed the occasional National Guard Soldier in military uniform pulling on their coat, lifting a heavy overnight bag onto their shoulder, and heading out of their residence hall or apartment into the blizzard. National Guard soldiers are a unique asset to this country and what sets them apart from their regular Army brothers is that when a National Guard soldiers enlists he or she swears allegiance to
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both the United States of America and then the State in which they are enlisting. Many soldiers on January 22nd received the same early morning phone call that we did in Student Life; however, their phone call was to let them know that their state needed them and the Governor was activating the National Guard. Many soldiers saw this coming and in anticipation already had their bags packed but they still had to acquire written orders to send to their Veteran Affairs representative on campus, notify professors that they may be missing class (most soldiers did not know how long they would be gone), and say goodbye to loved ones and friends. While this seems like a stressful situation, if you were to talk to that soldier leaving your building on the morning of the 22nd you would have noticed enthusiasm and patriotism in their voice. I talked to one solider that was a student at West Virginia University, “This is why I joined the Guard. This is my chance to make a difference in my state and community and there is no greeter feeling than assisting other emergency personal in saving lives.” Saving lives is what those soldiers were going to do that morning and it is important for us all to remember in Student Life that we will always have National Guard soldiers scattered throughout our student population. It is the least we can do to support them in between and during missions such as the recent winter storm as they answer the call to keep our communities safe. Johnny Kocher Residence Life Specialist, West Virginia University 1st Lieutenant, 1/201st Field Artillery
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SUMMER ISSUE W I N T E R 2016
Fearless Hope Through Radical Empathy: Narrative 4 Training at Seton Hill University by Jenna Konyak, Assistant Director of Residence Life at Seton Hill University
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Jenna Konyak, Assistant Director of Residence Life at Seton Hill University
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hen the Resident Assistants (RAs) at Seton Hill University were asked what they wanted to see in their Winter Training, the feedback was nearly unanimous. The RAs were asking for ways to go beyond common knowledge of their residents and to “dig deeper� for more meaningful conversations. They wanted to view diversity in a different light. They wanted to learn about empathy. Through collaboration with the Multicultural and International Services Office and a faculty member of the English department, the Office of Residence Life participated in the Narrative 4 project this past January. Narrative 4 is a global initiative seeking to pursue its mission of breaking down barriers between people and demolishing stereotypes through the use of story exchange. In the end, Narrative 4 strives to create empathetic leaders and citizens (for more information on Narrative 4, please visit their website at www.narrative4.com). The training started with introductions and background information about the presenters and guidelines to follow for the activity. The guidelines were simple and clear. The RAs were asked to be active listeners, to be in the moment, and to embrace the story they were going to be told. Prior to the training session, the RAs were asked to reflect on a story that has impacted their lives and made them who they are today. They were then paired off and went their separate ways. Each pair was given 45 minutes to share their story with one another in
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a secluded space. The RAs were unsure how these stories were going to be used during training, but they were open to what was to come. Once the entire group was back together, the pairs were split up into groups of 10-12 members. While in these groups, the RAs were asked to be storytellers, but not of their own stories, but that of their partners. One by one, each RA relayed the story he/she was told by his/her partner in first person, as if in the partner’s own shoes; in the partner’s own life. Some of the stories were funny, telling of humorous moments in life, while others were sad and somber, telling of death and embarrassment. The RAs began to peel back the different layers of their peers’ lives as the stories unfolded. The RAs were not expecting to be impacted the way they were by this exercise. Many of them mentioned that it was an emotional rollercoaster to go through the ups and downs of people’s lives. However, they believe that they came out of the activity as not only stronger RAs, but also stronger, more empathetic individuals. This was an activity that taught the RAs about themselves, their opinions, and how they viewed their peers. “It was wonderful to see the spark of energy between the staff members as they listened to one another’s stories and began to see one another with new eyes,” said Christine Cusick, an Associate Professor of English and Composition who is using her time on sabbatical to learn more about and engage others with the Narrative 4 project. Through further discussion, the RAs were able to elaborate on how this activity impacted their work as an RA. They discussed how it reminded them that “everyone has their own story and that those stories shape the community in which they live” (Jephthe Ferdilus, 2nd year RA). The Narrative 4 project also taught RAs about the importance of active listening. Marysol Almestica, 2nd year RA, stated, “We usually try to relate [other’s stories] back to our own experience, but with [Narrative 4] we got to learn how to actually listen.” This training session undoubtedly impacted the RAs both personally and professionally. We look forward to seeing how their new storytelling and empathic skills shape the way they work with their students.
RAS WERE ASKED:
“What did you take out of this experience/how does it impact your work as a RA?” A COUPLE RESPONSES ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Patrick Smith Jr., 1st Year RA, Senior
-Jaclyn O’Neill, 2nd Year RA, Junior
“No matter who you are or where you are from, everyone has had their own personal challenges and experiences that have shaped them to be who they are… This impacts my work as an RA because it allowed me to be more open and understanding when interacting with my residents knowing that they too, have a story and are possibly looking for someone to share it with.”
“I gained so much more respect for members of my staff that I did not really interact with… We as RAs need to go out of our way to create these opportunities to hear our residents’ stories that may not always be heard. By giving our residents any opportunity to share their stories, we create connections between ourselves and between our residents to better understand, empathize, and connect with each other. Creating this environment in our residence halls prepare our residents for entering the world outside of college.”
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SPRING ISSUE
Recruiting our Undergraduate Students to Engage in the Profession and how the Lisa A. Pierce Volunteer Incentive Program for Students (VIPS) Help Students find their Purpose by Anthony Florendo, Assistant Director of Student Life
Thoughts from a participant in the 2001 Lisa A. Pierce Volunteer Incentive Program for Students, Anthony Florendo, Assistant Director of Student Life at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia: As a residence life professional, I think I can speak for everyone else that it warms our hearts when we hear one of our students entertaining the idea of making residence life their career path. When that little spark enters their mind, we immediately jump into action and advise them on how to market their RA experience, what institutions are looking for in Graduate Assistants, how to tell their parents that they no longer want to be a pharmacist, etc. One of the first things I do is advise them to research more about our field, because I learned that being a super awesome Resident Assistant does not necessarily mean you would become a super awesome Resident Director. And the second? Look into enrolling in the Lisa A. Pierce Volunteer Incentive Program for Students (VIPS). The VIPS does exactly what it is intended to do: give undergraduate student leaders the opportunity to attend the MACUHO Annual Conference and network with professionals in the field of residence life and housing. I remember my days of being a VIP back 2001. As a student leader trying to figure out what I was going to do after graduating with a Bachelor of Art in Art, my supervisor at the time encouraged me to apply to be a part of the VIPS. I was accepted in the first class of the VIPS. At the time, no one knew how special that was or if this program was going to be successful enough to continue for years to come. Over the past 15 years, I have watched the Volunteer Incentive Program for Students to grow in size and improve its intention. Yes, you still do grunt work and are forced to network with total strangers. But despite the seemingly menial
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tasks asked from me and forced bonding that I still have trouble doing in my professional life, what I did get out of the VIPS experience was that I finally figured out my purpose in life. And let me tell you, that is one of the biggest, yet overlooked, gifts anyone can give you. So thank you, David Clurman and Lisa Pierce. For some in VIPS, you may come out of the conference with a totally different result, declaring that Residence Life is not your path. That is okay because your supervisors want nothing but you figuring out your life. So, listen up: When your supervisor is talking to you about the Volunteer Incentive Program, it does not just mean that you were a great RA. It means that they believe in you. They are proud of you. It means that they not only see you doing well in the Residence Life field. It means that they see you one day making the same impact they hope they made on you. Whether you say yes or no to the invitation, or you get hooked or get scared away from the residence life field, feel blessed to have people supporting you and that you are one step closer to figuring out your passion.
SPRING ISSUE
Preparing for MAPC: Mock Placement Conference Returns Rowan University hosted their 2nd annual Mock Placement Conference on February 16th, 2016. Over 60 undergraduate, graduate and professional staff members from the MACUHO region participated in the event, offering opportunities for students and entry level staff to practice their interview skills in a mock placement setting. The conference featured a keynote speaker, Ryan Stalgaitis, Campus Director of Career Development from Fairleigh Dickinson University – Florham Campus, who set the tone and encouraged attendees to take advantage of this opportunity. Eleven different student affairs and university offices were represented in the various positions interviewed for at the conference. The event would not have been a success without the assistance of the professional and graduate staff who participated as mock employers. To those who participated, we thank you! Rowan is looking forward to hosting again in 2017, so please watch for future emails and join in this wonderful experience!
Housing & Facilities Operations (HFO) by Jan Mason, HFO Chair After doing some heavy recruiting and hosting the Walls to Halls tour at the 2015 MACUHO Conference, the HFO Committee has been holding monthly conference calls, with an average of 6 – 8 participants. We have added a new feature to our monthly call agenda called Open Forum. Open Forum is at the end of the call, and gives an opportunity for all to speak freely about any of their facility’s issues or topics. The Open Forum allows members to share experiences and give
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feedback to one another. Conversations have been great! We are currently pulling together Walls to Halls events across the MACUHO region. This springs “Walls to Halls” event will be at Seton Hall University and you can find information on this event at macuho.org. Hope you all can attend. If anyone is interested in joining the committee or looking for any information, please email me at ejm140@psu.edu.
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Committee Corner, REC Committee by Nicole Clemson and Johnny Kocher, REC Committee Co-Chairs
Hello MACHUO! We have been hard at work on many exciting new initiatives as well as the usual trademark REC Committee events over the past several months since the annual conference and we are excited to share a snapshot of this work here with you.
Most recently, we have completed our #MACUHORAsROCK initiative for RA Appreciation Day and received an amazing response from the region! We are currently voting as a committee on the schools we feel went above and beyond on RA Appreciation Day and that school will be getting a prize in the mail. Academic Excellence Awards are currently going out to students and we are excited to say that we had the most participation ever this cycle in terms of number of institutions participating. We have also finalized the bid packet for the SSLI conference and it has been distrubted to the region. Finally we have continued to highlight stories of amazing staff members through our region with our Student Storytellers articles on our Facebook page and the magazine. This is just a small snapshot of what is going on in the REC Committee and we invite you to check out our Facebook page to see more of the amazing things we are working on. We have an open invitation to anyone in MACUHO to jump on one of our conference calls or contact a member or our committee to help us Recognize, Educate, and Connect everyone across the MACUHO region. For more information email Nicole or Johnny, the REC Co-Chairs at nclemson@mica.edu or Johnny.Kocher@mail.wvu.edu.
Personal & Professional Development Comittee by Gina Klefer, REC Committee Chair The Personal and Professional Development committee kicked off its webinar series in February Truth Tellers: Marketing Your Why presented by Debbie Scheibler and Shigeo Iwamiya. We also co-hosted a webinar to help candidates prepare for MAPC. Be on the lookout for webinar announce-
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ments and committee meeting dates for the upcoming months. Contact co-chairs Gina Kiefer,gina.kiefer@alvernia. edu or Nick McConnell, nmcconne@ycp.edu with any ideas, questions, or concerns.
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SPRING ISSUE
RECRUITMENT & RETENTION COMMITTEE CORNER The Recruitment and Retention Committee has been working hard to make progress on our goals set in the strategic plan as well as move forward on some of the smaller goals set by our committee. Here are some of our big goals:
Tory Elisca vrowland@rutgers.edu
• Through this year, our committee strives to differentiate and identify the different needs of our graduate students, new professionals, mid-level, and CHOs and how we can retain them in the region. Part of this goal is create a new networking opportunity for each level of professional (ideas welcome!). •W e also hope to make overall improvements to the Volunteer Incentive Program for Students (VIPS) which has resulted in the editing and creation of different documents and tools that can be used through the program. • As the Recruitment and Retention Committee, we want to foster a welcoming atmosphere for first time attendees at the Annual Conference to improve their retention in MACUHO and to the annual conference.
Max Shirey mshirey@kutztown.edu
• Lastly, the committee is looking to create opportunities for current and recent graduates to increase long term membership. We encourage you to join our team and continue the great work the committee has started. We welcome your thoughts and new ideas as well! Please sign up for the committee through the MACUHO website and consider reaching out personally to either of the co-chairs!
Max Shirey mshirey@kutztown.edu
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Tory Elisca vrowland@rutgers.edu
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Another Timely Warning Was Sent Out Now What? by Alexis Washington, Graduate Student at West Chester University
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ou are in your first year as a graduate student and supervisor to undergraduate students in a residence hall. It is the spring semester, the weather is warm, and the students are eager to spend time outside enjoying the campus environment as the semester begins to come to an end. The students are spending a lot time outside and are staying out late. As the weather gets warmer, there is an increase in the number of public safety officers on foot and the inevitable timely warnings. On a Saturday night at 11:00 p.m., you receive a timely warning about a possible theft near campus. Then, at 12:30 a.m., there was an alleged attack in one of the residence halls. At 9:00 a.m., the alleged attack is changed to a sexual assault. On Sunday at 3:00 p.m., a message sent out warning of possible car burglaries on campus. It is now Monday morning and the students you supervise have questions about what to tell the residents in the building who are confused about the timely warnings. Many of the residents do not consider the importance of taking safety precautions. In addition, to add to a busy day, a concerned parent calls wondering how violence can occur on a campus like your own; a campus that they and others perceive as so safe. Timely warnings were designed to keep students safe. They are mandated through the Clery Act which requires that colleges and universities alert their campus communities of certain crimes in a method that is “timely and will aid in the prevention of similar crimes” (Ward & Lee, 2005). One important consideration about timely warnings is that it is an expectation that even if all of the facts
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about an incident are not clear, a communication can be issued to campus with additional information added as it becomes available. The dilemma for administrators is what to do we do when too many warnings are sent out with inaccurate information because institutions want to send out a timely warning. If institutions send out a large number of warnings, students may ignore them. According to The Handbook for Campus Safety and Security Reporting, timely warnings may be sent if there is a continuing danger to the campus community. When considering this factor, what should institutions do when the victim knows the alleged perpetrator of the crime and a timely warning is still sent out? At this point, the alleged perpetrator is known and should not be a threat to the campus community; however, an issue was sent out and the alleged is aware that the victim has filed a police report. Does this hurt or harm the victim? Timely warnings are beneficial but with careful consideration of the crime occurring and who truly is at risk. To be informed that someone was robbed at a local fast food restaurant close to campus versus a series of burglaries in the campus residence halls, only the latter appears to be extreme enough for a warning to be issued. Unfortunately, too many institutions are sending out timely warnings as if they are breaking news. Below are five best practices for graduate students and new professions for responding to timely warnings at your institution. • KNOW YOUR ROLE: The most important part of working with students when they come to you with concerns about timely warnings or campus crimes is to know your role. Become familiar with the role of your department on campus when it comes to campus sexual assault, crimes, and other campus climate issues that may occur. • KNOW THE ROLES OF OTHERS: Just as it is important to know your role, it is imperative to know who is in the role of Title IX coordinator
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at your institution. Become familiar with on and off campus resources that assist those impacted by campus crimes. • GET EDUCATED: It is beneficial to become more familiar with both the Clery Act and Title IX. If there is an opportunity to attend training or continuing education, take advantage of it. Read as much as you can about the laws, policies, and best practices. • BE AN ADVOCATE: Advocate for victims of alleged perpetrators of these crimes. Advocate for laws to be created to make handling these crimes more equitable. Learn about how to be an advocate and to lend your voice to help others. • B UILD CONNECTIONS: Build a positive relationship with your campus police or public safety officers as these individuals work closely with campus crimes. • H AVE A PLAN: Have a plan about how you will respond to timely warnings and know how they affect your daily living. Know how you will communicate and support the paraprofessional students who report to you. You will need to coach them through conversations with the undergraduate students they interact with and lead. • N EVER STOP ASKING QUESTIONS: Keep asking questions to learn more about timely warnings and campus crimes. The handling of timely warnings can be very complex. University of Wisconsin-Madison,. (2014). PRACTITIONERS’ DISCUSSION OF IMPLEMENTING CLERY/TITLE IX. Ward, Diane, and Janice Lee. The Handbook for Campus Crime Reporting. [Washington,
RELI-Institute Congratulations! MACUHO would like to recognize the members of our region who have been selected to serve as faculty during this year’s Regional Entry Level Institute (RELI). Great work to you all and thank you for representing our region well and for your service to RELI.
DEBBIE SCHEIBLER
PROBLEM SOLVING
RUTGERS-CAMDEN
DENISE O’NEILL
PLANNING & ASSESSMENT
OLAN GARRETT
MANAGING MULTIPLE PRIORITIES
PENN STATE-UNIVERSITY PARK
JOSHUA HARTMAN
ACCOUNTABILITY
BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY
TINA TORMEY
POLITICS
TCNJ
STOCKTON UNIVERSITY
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Dragons, Unicorns, and Introverts in Residence Life! ARE THEY REAL? by D on Brennan - MACUHO Magazine Chair/Managing Editor & Resident Director at Alvernia University
TALES OF AN INTROVERT NAVIGATING THE EXTROVERTED WATERS OF MACUHO
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INTROVERT ADVICE #1: FINDING ONE PERSON OR MACUHO MEMBER TO SERVE AS YOUR GATE INTO THE ORGANIZATION IS BENEFICIAL. After this experience, I waited a long time to get involved again. It was almost two years later I decided to put myself out their again and get involved in the Host Committee 2014. INTROVERT ADVICE #2: DON’T WAIT TOO LONG TO PUT
In this quarterly column in the magazine, I will reflect upon my experiences as an introvert in MACUHO and offer advice to getting more involved and making the most of your MACUHO experience. The walls were closing in. More and more people filled into the small room, no more than 15 feet by 25 feet. I found the furthermost corner of the room and stuck close to the wall like a barnacle. It felt like as more and more people were entering my thoughts began to quicken and become overwhelming. Was all of this worth the game of trivia? No one can resist the allure of trivia. No one can resist the bonds of their MACUHO family. This was one of my experiences at the annual conference this year at Penn State. Call me the Loch Ness Monster or Bigfoot; however, I am an introvert working in Residence Life. We are real and we do love MACUHO just like everybody else. Life is not always easy as an introvert in MACUHO; but if you put in the effort you can reap the same benefits as an extrovert. As an introvert, it took me a little bit longer to dive into the MACUHO pool. I started by presenting at the 2012 conference. It was definitely putting me outside of my comfort zone; but having the guidance of my MACUHO mentor, Christopher Ottey, helping me through my first experience was extremely beneficial.
YOURSELF OUT THERE BETWEEN EXPERIENCES; THROW YOURSELF OUT THERE RIGHT AWAY OR YOU WILL GO BACK INTO YOUR SHELL. Host Committee 2014 was MACUHO life changing. I made long-lasting friendships, connections, and found new mentors and MACUHO gurus. I learned so much about how the organization functions and found myself in a place where I felt like I was on the diving board ready to jump in and just needed someone to push me off the board. This push came in the form of my supervisor, Karolina Dreher at Alvernia University, who encouraged me to get more involved professionally and to stop getting in my own way.
INTROVERT ADVICE #3: STOP MAKING EXCUSES. It was at this point I reached out to the MACUHO President, at the time, Brooke Clayton (who titled this article), to see how I could get involved more and the opportunity to become Northeast PA Regional Coordinator presented itself. Becoming Regional Coordinator and getting involved on the Leadership Council for 2015 was everything I expected and more. The conference was totally different being on Leadership Council and being a Regional Coordinator was the perfect networking position for an introvert because people seek you out and introduce themselves to you.
INTROVERT ADVICE #4: DON’T WORRY INTROVERTS, THE RESIDENCE LIFE EXTROVERTS WILL COME TO YOU. INTROVERT ADVICE #5: GET INVOLVED ON A COMMITTEE, Leadership Council, and Executive Board as you will meet more people and start to feel like “you are coming home to family” as Crystal Lopez, Past President, says. If you learn anything from my experience it is that no matter an introvert or extrovert, Residence Life or Housing professional, graduate student or Chief Housing Office, MACUHO has a place for you. Always remember introverts are people too and there is a lot more beneath that shell than you expect. For the introverts looking to get involved in MACUHO, remember we are here on the executive board, on leadership council, and in the organization. We understand your struggle. Through involvement in MACUHO, you can learn the skills you need as a professional to compartmentalize your thoughts and take time for yourself during MACUHO events so that you are able to put yourself out there in the organization. This skill is one every successful MACUHO introvert learns, from Past President Brooke Clayton to current MACUHO Magazine Editor, me. Dragons may or may not exist (I believe they do as a Disney fan). Unicorns… questionable! However, the introvert in Residence Life is not a myth…We Are Here! Allow me to shatter the myth and declare the “MYTH BUSTED!”
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