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From the desk of the MACUHO President,
Inside this issue:
Hello MACUHO! I hope you are having a fantastic transition from winter to spring! As the weather warms up, and the weather becomes much better, it will also bring you great energy and excitement getting closer towards the end of the semester. During our February executive board meeting in Baltimore, MD I got to tour the Tremont Plaza, Host site of MACUHO 2012. After seeing this fantastic hotel, the first thing that comes to my mind is that it is a fantastic location for us to welcome the 40th Anniversary of MACUHO! The building has a rich history and an extremely powerful meaning. Both of which are very strong qualities of MACUHO as well! This is going to be a fantastic environment to celebrate this great moment in our association, and I want to Thanks all of the hard work that the MACUHO 2012 Host Committee is putting in thus far to make this a very special conference in November! Also, please join me in giving back to our future as well! Our MACUHO “40 for 40” Campaign which is now available on our website at http://www.macuho.org/?acuhoifoundation. This is our opportunity to raise funds for the ACUHO-I MACUHO Endowment that has been created to support programs such as the Lisa Pierce V.I.P. Program, the ACUHO-I Talking Stick, NHTI, and many other wonderful initiatives through ACUHO-I and MACUHO. We in Housing and Residence Life have an opportunity to leave our mark in history as our Association’s 40th Anniversary is approaching, and I am putting a personal challenge out for MACUHO to raise $10,000 for the year. This is an unprecedented effort for our Association, as we normally try to raise $1,000 during our Annual Conference. I know we can do this, and we need everyone’s help to accomplish this. So, for the name of the 40th Anniversary, we are asking if people can donate $40 to the Foundation, which the link has been set up on our website. This is the “40 for 40” program that I would like your support. I will continue to talk about this throughout the year, and also leading up to the November 2012 conference in Baltimore, MD.
Confessions of a 3rd year RD
page 4
MAPC Wrap Up
page 6
MAPC: Employer Reflections
page 8
The Women of Lehigh Valley
page 10
Student Staff Commitment to Diversity Award
page 11
ACUHO-I
page 12
Reviving Residence Life
page 15
Residence Hall Tours
page 16
Housing Selection
page 16
Chocoholic Nutella Cake
page 17
Winter Carnival
page 18
RHA Hall Decorating Contest
page 20
Magazine Editor
Matthew Le Brasseur
Magazine Editor
Debbie Scheibler
MACUHO President
Shigeo Iwamiya
The MACUHO Magazine is created and developed by the MACUHO membership. All contributions are from MACUHO members or our sponsors.
Also, I am glad to see so many people participate in the MACUHO Webinars as well! In the next month, we will have 2 more great webinars, so please watch those programs coming! I would also like to send a big KUDOS to the Housing Operations committee for doing a fantastic job at setting up the Walls to Halls tours for MACUHO! So many great institutions are part of this list, and I hope many of your Facilities and Operation folks can take advantage of these fantastic tours! And finally, for those of you that participated in Mid-Atlantic Placement Conference as a candidate or employer, I hope you had a wonderful employment process! And most importantly, thank you to the PPD Committee for your wonderful contributions to the association! Thank you so much for your excitement, and thank you for another successful MAPC Conference! Happy spring everyone!
Shigeo J. Iwamiya MACUHO President, 2011-2012
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T
he saying goes, “time flies when you’re
having fun.” I can’t believe it, but I just began my third year in University Housing and Residential Life at Temple University. I’ve had several amazing opportunities to connect with professional staff, foster educational moments for students, and further my own professional development. As a new professional, I’m constantly thinking about how I can contribute to my department, institution, and to the field. My futuristic attitude often proves to be a successful trait because I’m able to articulate a clear vision for those that I work with daily. However, highly active professionals are hit with the reality that their potential impact is often determined by the culture of their institution and the relationships that are built. I have experienced this all important lesson as I transitioned to both graduate school and my first professional role.
Pick and Choose Your Battles- It’s very easy to critique how one might “do it better” or complain when we don’t get our way. However, it’s important to have thick skin and focus on our sphere of influence instead of inciting a riot because our opinion didn’t make it to the Vice President’s desk. I’ve learned that it’s critical to identify personal ethics and to advocate for those causes if and when those values are in the best interest of students and staff. But that doesn’t mean that every thought that comes to our mind has to be shared with the entire department. Some might call this politicking. I prefer to stress the importance of knowing that there is a time and place for everything.
Reach out and Build Relationships Residence life and housing programs generally have one of the largest departments within student affairs divisions. It is very easy to build a network among these individuals, and as a third year
happiness (and productivity) of staff. Speak up for yourself and for you staff and students and be their voice.
Work Hard- You can’t buy a solid work ethic. Building a positive reputation in this area has been instrumental in fostering the four previous areas. Residence life and housing is not rocket science, but it is incredibly hard work that requires dedicated and competent staff who are willing to go above and beyond in order to provide the best quality service to students, families, and the campus community. The true confession, as this title implies, is that working in residence life at the urban, large, and ever evolving institution that is Temple University has been one of the most transformative and developmental experiences that I have ever had. Hall directors are faced with several hurtles ranging from crazed parents, late night fire alarms, and
Confessions of a Third Year RD: Personal Wisdom for new Graduates and Professionals Michael Bumbry, Resident Director Temple University Working in residence life and housing creates a plethora of chances for new professionals to hone critical skills that are crucial in any area of student affairs: supervision, advising, budgeting, customer service and crisis response are just a few of the competencies that professionals cultivate. However, employers are finding it more difficult to attract and retain quality professional hall directors (Belch & Muller, 2003). This attrition rates are reflected throughout our field in other functional areas as well, as an average of fifty percent of new professionals leave the field within five years (Tull, 2006). There are several reasons to suggest why these numbers exist at varying rates among institutions nationwide. Poor orientation, training and supervision, burnout, perceptions of influence, job satisfaction, and opportunities for advancement all make the difference in a staff member who performs at their best. In preparation for writing this article, I thought about what substantive advice I could provide to a graduate student preparing for life as a full-time hall director or a new professional who might be experiencing similar struggles. Here goes:
hall director, it’s even easier to stay within one’s comfort zone and not establish relationships with new staff. But there’s always a chance to connect and reconnect with faculty and staff at your institution, and to utilize those relationships to learn, collaborate, and share resources. Not to mention, it never hurts to expand your network!
Develop New Competencies- New professionals generally start the search for the next position in their second or third year. As the job market gets more competitive and unpredictable in higher education, I’ve found it challenging and exciting to explore new interests by connecting future professional goals to skills that I’m aware that I need to develop. This may include getting involved not just on campus, but off campus as well through professional associations and other higher education organizations.
Advocate- Although it’s important to pick and choose your battles, it’s also crucial to advocate for yourself, colleagues, and students at the appropriate time and place. Supervisors are not mind readers, and expressing professional needs and interests is important in managing expectations, challenging the process, and increasing 4
balancing a personal life. In spite of all the challenges, I still believe this role is one of the best positions for any student affairs professional to have because it’s a first class ticket to experiencing firsthand what it takes to build a career in student affairs. It is our responsibility as new and veteran housing professionals to mentor and nurture these individuals, create training and orientation programs that reflect current trends, and build a connection between the hall director position and desired skills in mid and senior level positions. And every once in a while, foster an environment where individuals feel comfortable to be confess their truth and be themselves.
References Belch, H.A., Mueller, John A. (2003). Candidate pools or puddles: Challenges and trends in the recruitment and hiring of resident directors. Journal of College Student Development, 44 (1), 29-46.
Tull, A. (2006). Synergistic supervision, job satisfaction, and intention to turnover of new professionals in student affairs. Journal of College Student Development, 47, 465-477
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Thursday Febru
ary 23rd and Fri day February 24th
139 registered candidates 81 positions 1036 interview s Gallons of coffe
e consumed
Dozens of crea
m puffs eaten
Fingers crossed , many success ful matches made!
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I had a great time and loved meeting all the different people! -Candidate
This was an outstanding conference. All the people who made it happen were extraordinarily nice and helpful! I appreciate the work that went into pulling off something successful! Thank you!!!
–
-Candidate
I really appreciated the career coach, also the nonstop coffee and water was great! -Candidate 7
MAPC Going beyond the Table!
Employer Reflections
Can you feel it in the air? It's time for job fair conferences! The MidAtlantic Placement Exchange (MAPC) was held in Reading, PA this year. In past years it has been at the University of Delaware and Lancaster, PA sites. This year's site, the Crowne Plaza, was an amazing location. They were very helpful and friendly to all participants. The conference is run by all volunteer members of the Professional Development committee through MACUHO. The team ran a great conference with over 100 candidates and 70 schools registered.
and great support and enthusiasm. Clapping could be heard all throughout the hotel as candidates got picked up by employers. New friendships were created, while old ones were renewed.
This year was even more exciting with the inclusion of the NEACUHO region and schools. Roughly, 1036 interviews took part over the two day event. On the first day there was a networking break that allowed candidates and employers to mingle and get to know each other beyond the table. The candidate room had a career coach
Assistant Director of Residential Life, Temple University
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I would suggest to any candidate (and employers) to take advantage of any regional job fair conferences. With national conferences costs rising and budget constraints increasing, going to these types of conferences really allow you to get to know candidates in a more relaxing setting while keeping cost low. Good luck to all those searching this year.
Licinia Kaliher, Ed. D.
This was my first MAPC conference and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting all of the potential candidates, catching up with old colleagues and getting away from the office for a few days! It was a rewarding opportunity to interview well-qualified external candidates all in one place. All of the candidates were well prepared and enthusiastic which made my first MAPC conference experience fantastic. Once I got the hang of how the “mailboxes” worked, it was a breeze and actually set up nicely and very organized. Who would have thought that grueling task of interviewing people could be so fun!
I have been coming to MAPC for several years as an employer, and what keeps me coming back that it is consistently affordable, proximate, well -run, and stress-free. MAPC 2012 was yet another positive experience for us. The new location in Reading, PA, was big enough to feel spacious, yet small enough to provide the networking opportunities and community feel that MACUHO is all about. It was also great to see some former MAPC candidates now working alongside us as employers! I’ve filled several staff positions over the years with MAPC candidates, and I believe this year will be no different.
Andre Turner, M.P.A. Campus Life Coordinator Fairleigh Dickinson University - College at Florham
Jennifer Derry Assistant Director for Training & Development Villanova University
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talked about proposing and seeing to fruition Living Learning Communities. Jan Schumacher mentioned shifting Muhlenberg’s Building Director position from part-time to full-time with greater compensation. And, Jennifer Scaia, talked about ushering in a themed housing program called “Live Leigh.”
March
1st was the dawning of the nationally recognized Women’s History Month. As attendees of an all women’s college, this may be more of common knowledge rather than a fun, new fact for you. However, did you know that many of the LVAIC College and University’s Offices of Residence Life are directed by women?
Professional and Personal Goals Merriam-Webster defines a goal as “the end toward which effort is directed.” When asked about the importance of setting professional and personal goals, the Directors had the following to say: Professional Goals should be set beyond your job description to facilitate your growth, help you move forward, and encompass student needs. Personal Goals should give you clarity and purpose, sometimes overlap with your professional one’s, and sometimes be small in number so that you are focused.
Below is a compilation of interviews of Leah Breisch from DeSales University, Grace Reynolds from Lafayette College, Jennifer Scaia from Lehigh University, Jan Schumacher from Muhlenberg, and our own Kelly Steinmetz—all who serve as Director’s of Residence Life. Career Paths to Residence Life The Directors were first asked to talk about their career
(from left to right) Kelly Steinmetz, Leah Breisch, Grace Reynolds, Jennifer Scaia, and Jan Schumacher.
What is new in the Valley? path to Residence Life. Leah Breisch discussed how a conversation about post-graduation with her student organization advisor at the University of Notre Dame as a senior psychology major was the first step on her path to Residence Life. However, Jennifer Scaia began working in Residence Life as a Graduate Hall Director while pursuing a Master’s in Counseling. Both of these career paths echo the piece of advice all of the directors had: remain open to new opportunities
Alternate living and academic settings are becoming the mainstays of innovative Residence Life programs. It is in the form of Living Learning Communities that both Cedar Crest and Lafayette Colleges are setting themselves apart. Whether this program is well established or in its inception, these LVAIC schools are breaking the paradigm of living in tall buildings with lots of windows. Do you have any advice? At the end of their interview, the directors were asked “What two pieces of advice would you give Resident Advisors?” Although those reading this article are not resident advisors, here are five pearls of wisdom you may want to share with the students you work with: #1 Remember, what you put in to the position will be a key factor in what you get out. #2 Know that your RA skills are transferrable to upcoming professional careers. #3 Trust your instincts. #4 Focus on community early so that it will be easy to deal with issues that arise later. #5 Get to know your supervisor and director and be an active part of the change process by understanding why decisions are made and asking questions if you do not.
Valuable Lessons Two lessons mentioned during the interviews were plan ahead and strive for balance in your life. Grace Reynolds pointed out that being thoughtful as you plan gives you the ability to be flexible. When asked how she struck a balance in her life, Kelly Steinmetz commented on the importance of setting priorities and highlighted that natural life changes affect how your priorities are ordered. Achievements So, what have these women achieved in their time as directors? Leah Breisch spoke of co-creating the Leaders Emerging at DeSales University (L.E.A.DSU) program, which aims to support and train student leaders. Grace Reynolds discussed her volunteer service as a past president and current director to the Mid-Atlantic Association of College & University Housing Officers (MACUHO), an association which supports collegiate residential programs in the Mid-Atlantic region. Kelly Steinmetz
With these thoughts in mind, I challenge you with this quote from Jan Schumacher and a question: “I still believe in my decision to work in a college environment.” Do you still believe in your decision to work in Student Affairs?
The Women that ‘Hold Down’ Residence Life in the Lehigh Valley By Ashley Grey
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The MACUHO Student Staff Commitment to Social Justice Award Sponsored by the MACUHO Diversity Committee AwardoDescription
How has this individual collaborated with another individual, department, and/or organization to further inclusivity and concepts diversity and social justice at their institution and/or greater involvement to the field of Residence Life/Housing?
This award recognizes an individual currently a MACUHO member who serves as an example to others through a commitment to diversity and social justice beyond the scope of one’s professional responsibilities. The nominee is a person who demonstrates and engages others through action the ideals of cultural diversity, interculturalism, and social justice. This nominee’s initiatives are in the forefront of exploring issues regarding diversity and social justice and they actively work to expand their knowledge to build a more inclusive and engaged campus and global community. Please send a copy of the nominee’s résumé along with at least one letter of recommendation outlining why the nominee deserves to be honored with the Student Staff Commitment to Social Justice Award as described in the award description above. Additional letters of support are encouraged but not required.
In what ways has this individual gone above and beyond the scope of their position to show a commitment to build, sustain, and celebrate an inclusive residential campus community?
Why should this individual be selected to receive the Student Staff Commitment to Social Justice Award over other candidates? All nominations must be received in
completion by April 16, 2012. Please send your nominations to Anthony Florendo,
Review Criteria
Diversity Committee Co-Chair, at antad97@andromeda.rutgers.edu.
Determination of the award will be based on an outstanding or an exceptional contribution to one’s campus community in the area of diversity, interculturalism, and social justice. The identified contribution may have resulted in a wide range of identifiable outcomes, including, but not limited to, further community engagement in diversity dialogue and education, examined and modified current practices and policies impacting one’s department/institution, and implemented projects and initiatives that foster diversity and social justice.
The letter of recommendation should provide specific and concrete examples the nominee fulfills the nomination criteria. Please ensure the following information is included:
Nominee’s name, title, address, institution, and phone number
Nominator’s name, title, address, institution, and phone number Below are questions to consider in your nomination letter to provide more context and further support your nominee’s likelihood to be recognized.
The overarching principle in the review process is the principle of exceptional quality. This award is chiefly concerned with the quality of work. The quantity of work may serve as a factor when appropriate. Therefore, the Review Committee will look for evidence of intensity and a level of focus that achieves a greater impact on one’s campus community.
Give an example of programs or initiatives that this individual/organization was a part of that helped promote diversity and social justice at their institution and/or greater involvement to the field of Residence Life/ Housing.
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Did you ever wonder HOW DID I CHOOSE THIS PROFESSION? What makes you stay? What are the variables of influence?
For me I like the life- the campus environment, the challenges and the reinforcement from peers, supervisors and the students. I never thought I’d get rich in Residence Life, (and you don’t need an advanced degree to realize that). I’m “all in” and stayed in because it’s the work itself: the stories and the lives of students and staff, the adventures, the comedies, the tragedies, the excitement, the highs and the lows. You seem always to be part of it and you get that every day in residence life! You go to campus each day with the feeling that anything could happen and you will be right in the middle of it all. For me that is appealing and acknowledging that perhaps I can make a difference in the lives of others. You are part of an organization/a profession that spans years; you have that sense
of affiliation we work so hard to establish and maintain at all levels; floor, building, area, program, campus; and with and for the residence life staff in particular. The stories of each individual with whom we have contact is the reason we’re drawn to residence life, the staff and the students. It’s the heart and soul of our involvement and commitmentwhether it be for one term or one lifetime. If you have any sentiments similar to these, think about the residence life staff of the past that positively influenced you and your decision to be part of this profession. Also consider those you might have influenced to jump on this fast moving vehicle with the highs & lows, joy and sadness, challenges and frustrations. Consider this: someone comes up to you one day- (it could be a former staff member or student)
and says “Thanks! Thanks for helping me find this profession and all that comes with it!” I think that would feel good, don’t you? Why not to the same who influenced you and your career? You can say thanks in a number of ways. When was the last time you spoke with them? Have you sent them a hand written note? A sincere email message? Also consider making a contribution in their name to the ACUHO-I Foundation. It’s simple! It’s easy! It’s meaningful! It works! And finally, don’t forget to “pay back” by doing the same for a new or emerging staff member or student-the way someone did for you!
GETTING IN, PAYING BACK AND THE ACUHO-I FOUNDATION By Chuck Lamb ACUHO-I Foundation Regional Cabinet NEACUHO Representative 12
ACUHO-I FOUNDATION THANKS YOU… By Joanne Goldwater ACUHO-I Foundation Chair-Elect MACUHO Representative
Numerous MACUHO colleagues have donated to the Foundation. Won’t you please join them? Shana Alston
Denise Davidson
David Larsen
Mark Turnbough
Linda Anderson
Michael DeJager
Crystal Lopez
Becky Verzinski
Adirondack Solutions
Howie Dumhart
Justin McCauley
Kyle Warren
Victor Arcelus
Cindy Felice
Andy McDade
Erik Wessel
Jan Arminio
Susanne Ferrin
Benita Rashaw
David Williams
Monica Armstrong
Pete Galloway
Reslife.Net
Marvin Worthy
Laura Bayless
Olin Garrett
Grace Reynolds
Derek Young
Angie Bonilla
Clinton Gilbert
Lynn Riker
Laurie Tuttle Yuhnke
Katie & Charlie Boone
Joanne Goldwater
Michael Robbins
Adam Boyd
Deb Grandner
Joe Russo
Sarah Brill
Bill Gunger
Tom Segar
Amber Cardamone
Shigeo Iwamiya
Kelly Smolinsky
Margaree Carter
Matt James
Kevin Stensberg
David Clurman
Tim Johnson
Dawn Thompson
Jessica Curry
Alison Jones
Jennifer Thorpe
Krystal Dains
Sean Killion
Ciji Tidwell
Thanks to each of you for supporting your profession! If you have benefitted from the ACUHO-I STARS College, an ACUHO-I keynote speaker, research relating to housing and Residence Life, or the MACUHO VIPS program, please give back to your professional association. If you would like to donate to the ACUHO-I Foundation, please go to: https:// foundation.acuho-i.org/
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willing to make a change. It never hurts to ask.
A
s Residence Life professionals, we perform in a
high stress and demanding environment on a consistent basis. It’s safe to say that Residence Life is comprised of those who truly and compassionately care about their work and their students. This usually, inevitably, overlaps our professional and personal lives. Therefore, it’s easy for us to become burnt out within a short amount of time. Through our experiences, we have learned of several personal and professional outlets which have kept us rational and relevant in the field of Residence Life.
Professional Outlet)
Development
(Professional
Within our current economical climate, we as professionals are required to think creatively as it relates to professional development. Here are some options:
Participate in webinars and phone conferences. Often these can be done in collaboration with other departments and/or other local colleges to help defray the cost.
Check out your local library. Many have educational and social programs available at no cost.
what our needs are, and not feel guilty for taking care of ourselves for our own self preservation. This can include: knowing when to leave the office, determining when you will or will not answer your cell phone, being okay with the person on-call dealing with issues while you’re not on-call, Facebook boundaries, and most importantly, determining what your boundaries are with your paraprofessional staff as it relates to your personal life.
Consistent Separation (Personal Outlet)
Get Involved in Your Local Community (Personal Outlet) Each town has its own unique culture- don’t be afraid to explore and figure out what that is! Here are some suggestions:
Get involved in town recreational activities by either coaching or participating. Get involved within your town’s culture, such as their food, night life, and/or the support of local businesses. Connect & Reconnect (Professional Outlet)
With
Colleagues
When our professional lives risk becoming stagnant, it’s our responsibility to try and keep things interesting. Here are some examples:
Getting
involved
in
a
professional
In our field, when we live where we work, it’s important that we have something off campus to look forward to on a consistent basis. This could be: Sunday dinners with your non-residence life friends, going to yoga, once a week, “stay-cations” at your family or friends’ homes, planning annual vacations, or exploring nearby attractions. However, separation is not only relevant in the physical sense. Separation can be allowing yourself to read a book, get a pet (if permitted), or simply putting your work away
The Revival of Residence Life By: Angela M. Brockman; Felician College and Anne Elizabeth Greenip; Ramapo College of New Jersey
Be a presenter and/or host at a conference.
Participate in “outside the box” opportunities such as serving on a search committee, writing professional articles, or participating in higher education case studies. Attend conferences. If funds are limited, investigate local conferences that you can drive to.
Advise Student Organizations and/or Teach a Class (Personal Outlet) Sometimes in Residence Life, we don’t always get to see our residents in the most positive light. By interacting with our students in a different element, we are afforded the opportunity for both us and our students to grow professionally and personally.
Feng Shui Your Apartment (Personal Outlet) Okay, maybe you don’t have to go that far. However it is crucial that we make our home as comfortable and personable as possible. It may be something as simple as a fresh coat of paint, fresh throw pillows, or requesting new furniture. We live where we work; by making our apartments comfortable, we are increasing our happiness in the workplace. If your employer doesn’t currently allow modifications to apartments, see if they’d be
committee within your region.
Utilizing your resources to solve a problem at your campus. Utilize each other for training purposes, both professional and paraprofessional staffs.
Expand Upon Your Education (Personal Outlet) This could be formal or informal. Here are some suggestions:
Speak to your supervisor, regarding tuition remission. Many institutions will cover some or all costs associated with taking classes at your place of employment.
Certificate Programs. These are becoming increasingly popular and valuable. They are cost effective, time efficient, and may help you to advance in your field of interest. Learn new hobbies. Some could include: pottery, tennis, yoga, dancing lessons, learning to cook, or learning a foreign language.
Create Personal and Professional Boundaries (Personal Outlet) This is different for each individual. Whatever that may be, we need to be comfortable with
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for the evening, television.
and
watching
some
Stay Current and Trendy (Professional Outlet) With our Millennial generation, it’s important to keep up with their culture and demands. This can be less taxing on us, if we stay abreast current events and trends in higher education. This could include: reading articles, participating in case studies, educating ourselves on social networking/ multimedia trends, and remaining involved within our community.
Most Importantly, Take Care of You (Personal & Professional Outlet) As cliché as it may be, you are your most important person in your life. You deserve and have earned the right to be happy, healthy, and of sound mind, body, and spirit. Do what you need to do to make yourself happy, be your own best advocate within your life’s endeavors, and make the most out of each day.
As a Resident Assistant to a floor of first year students, it is important to realize that your residents are new to the environment of your campus and look to you to help them adapt. It’s important to have programs that will grab the attention of your residents while still enlightening those involved as much as possible of the campus dynamics. Most successful programs cater to what residents want rather than what is necessarily useful to them because it is commonly accepted that that is how to get the most participation. In an attempt to generate interest in my events I thought of reasons I would participate other than the offer of free food! I came to the conclusion that one other thing that makes me participate in some programs is because I am required to. While I didn’t want to force my residents to come to my events I knew there were other things they had no choice in doing, such as applying for housing for the following year. Using this knowledge I developed my event, Tour dé Residence Halls. The entire premise of Tour dé Residence Halls is that I would bring my residents on a tour of all the on campus upper-classmen residence halls that our college has to offer. At each residence hall I would show them the locations of the laundry rooms, kitchens, community bathrooms and any other feature of the particular residence hall that is commonly used by the students who reside there. I would also bring them to see the inside of a typical room or apartment for each particular facility so they would be able to actually see how they would be living in the different buildings. Finally before leaving each location I gave them several facts for the residence hall such as whether it has airconditioning or not, the number of RAs in the building, the types of meal plans required for each location, and some fun facts like the age of the buildings and the history behind the name of a particular building. Once we finished the tour I would quiz the residents on what they learned and gave out prizes to those who answered the most questions correctly. When I actually hosted this program it was a huge hit! I had even more residents actually participate in the event then there were residing on my floor since many brought their friends along. It was great to hear how thankful my residents were because the event really allowed them to see what their options are for the years to come while simultaneously relieving the stress of blindly selecting housing for the following year. Not only was this program a success in terms of attendance and participation, but it was also personally rewarding to see how many residents I helped move onto their next year of college a little more easily.
Tour dé Residence Halls: Making the Student Housing Selection Process Fun! by: William Capon, Resident Assistant Stevents Institute of Technology
Neighborhood Tours: From Walls to Halls Brought to you by: Housing & Facilities Ops Committee
The Housing & Facilities Operations committee of the MACUHO region has put together our annual “Neighborhood Tours from Walls to Halls” housing facilities tours. These tours are designed to allow housing facilities managers and residential life professionals to tour neighboring schools' newly constructed/remodeled and/or innovative state of the art facilities in residential life. We have broken down our region and selected four premiere institutions in different parts of the region to give everyone an opportunity to participate in this endeavor. Each campus will provide a tour of their facility gearing it towards housing operations (i.e. design, construction, maintenance & service areas, HVAC units, etc.) and other general information about the structure. There will also be a lunch provided by each campus and a question and answer period afterward where professionals from each division (res life or housing operations) are able to discuss more specifics and share information. The tours will take place on Friday, March 23, at Philadelphia University (Philadelphia, PA) and on Friday, March 30, at East Stroudsburg University (East Stroudsburg, PA), West Virginia University (Morgantown, WV) and Stevenson University (Baltimore, MD). The tours are between 10:00am & 2:00pm. Registration information will be sent out shortly, but please mark your calendars now for this great opportunity. If you have any questions please contact the Housing & Facilities Operations Committee Co-Chairs, Conal Carr (cfc4@psu.edu) or Matt O'Neill (oneillmr@etown.edu). 16
This has to be one of the most dangerous chocolate cake recipes ever! It’s deadly for all those in love with Nutella and the fact that it takes less than 5 minutes to make and no oven is required makes it even worse, but in a good way!
Chocoholics Delight: Easy Microwave Nutella Cake By Cerille Avetria, Resident Assistant Stevens Institute of Technology
Ingredients
I ran this program close to finals week, when most of my residents were locked away in their rooms studying and stressing. The smell of the cakes baking attracted wanderers and those who are usually reluctant to see daylight, so we had a great turnout. Popular studies have shown that the consumption of chocolate causes the brain to release endorphins, the chemicals that make us feel good. Also, having chocolate cravings is something that is commonly induced by stress and is governed by our body’s chemistry, so it is something you really can’t control- so why not give in to them? Plus Nutella is made from milk and hazelnuts, so you can get a chocolate fix without totally blowing your healthy diet, which is an added bonus!
4 tablespoons self rising flour 4 tablespoons sugar 1 egg 3 tablespoons cocoa powder 3 tablespoons Nutella 3 tablespoons milk 3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
Directions In a microwavable ceramic mug (300ml) break the egg and whisk with a fork Add milk and oil, mix together Add Nutella and make sure to mix it in well Add the sugar, cocoa, and flour in last and mix well Microwave on high for 1 ½ - 3 minutes (Time depends on wattage, mine took 1½ minutes) Let it cool and top it off with whipped cream and strawberries to make it even more decadent.
I created a little mixing station, lining up the ingredients in the order they should be added and posted up the measurements so it can be easily referenced. Sadly, I only had one microwave in my room for them to bake with, but since it only took less than 2 minute to cook no one really could complain. This program really brought my residents together and taught them a quick and easy way to relax and reward themselves for all their hard work!
Trouble shooting tips: If your cake comes out dry and rubbery, it was either cooked for too long or it was over mixed. Mix all the ingredients at the end for about 5 minutes, and play with the timing to get the right texture. If it still seems to be coming out a little dry, place a cup of water along with the mug, in the microwave, for added moisture. 17
The Office of Residence Life (ORL) kicked off the spring semester this year with its first annual Winter Carnival that brought in an astounding number of students; by the end of the night over 1,000 students had come to the chilltastic event put on by the ORL. This event provided both educational and social connections for students.
The Winter Carnival could not have been such a huge success without the hard work put in by the Area Coordinators, Assistant Area Coordinators, and the RA/RC staff as well as the Residence Hall Association (RHA) who cosponsored the event, and the numerous fraternities and sororities that participated by having their own game booths and helped with set-up and clean-up.
The largest and most popular game of
Chiltastic Times at the Win
“
the night consisted of a blow-up race track in which students sat on motorized toilets to compete against each other in the Toilet Bowl Derby. Another interesting game that had an educational component to it was hosted by the Stevens Campus Police. Students wearing "beer goggles" were told to walk along a straight line on the floor to simulate the effects of alcohol on the body and mind. Two other games from the Carnival involved everybody’s favorite desert: pie! Students were given a chance to throw whipped cream pies at Residents Assistants (RAs) and Resident Coordinators (RCs) and later in the night, a very popular and successful pie eating contest was held.
Another prevalent game featured at the Winter Carnival was the Duckpond game. Students placed their head down on a long set of tongs and spun around in circles. The contestants then had to run to a kiddie pool and recover a duck with their tongs, run back, and place it in their bucket. The first student to get three ducks (Stevens mascot) successfully in there bucket won the race.
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The Snowball Scatter was another huge hit at the Carnival. Students were spun around several times, and then given four snow balls (tennis balls) to throw into buckets of various sizes, each having a different point value. The overall number of points collected earned the student an equal number of raffle tickets that they could then use to win various prizes donated by local vendors, restaurants and stores as well as items purchased by the RHA from the Stevens book store. RHA also provided cotton candy and a make your own caramel/candy apple station.
Other booths included: a photo booth, face painting, caricatures, video game station, a prize wheel, two fortune tellers, a local
nter Carnival restaurant station serving free samples from their menu, spin art, a beanbag toss game, airbrush tattoo station, an ORL treasure hunt, horse shoes, mini golf, a dart toss, a fast pitch game, along with a station serving some free finger foods from Qdoba and a “how well do you know your roommate� game booth. This event was such a huge success that we are already looking forward to planning next year’s ORL Winter Carnival!
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O
ne of the most challenging and
important jobs of an RA on campus is to
Each first-year floor pushed to try and win the prizes that were set up for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finishers. Floors were judged on a variety of different categories including best use of supplies, creativity, theme, and so on. Judges
RHA Hall Decorating Contest Builds School Spirit By Daniel Scholl, Resident Assistant
Steven Institute of Technology Su
build a sense of community among his/her residents and involve the school at the same time. One way to accomplish this somewhat daunting task is through a hallway decorating contest. The Residence Hall Association (RHA) sponsored two hall decorating contests for first-year residence hall floors campus-wide, which turned out to be an unprecedented success among all that were involved. The first hallway decorating contest was a Halloween themed event. RHA purchased basic decorating supplies online such as small skeleton skulls and pumpkin posters and separated them into bags for each Resident Assistant that lived in a first-year hall. Each RA brought their supplies to their floors and residents immediately began getting involved and excited about making their floor look the spookiest. This created a bonding experience between each resident and their respective RAs. Each floor was also encouraged to make their own decorations or find their own supplies to add to the haunting effects on the floor.
were composed of the Office of Residence Life professional staff members and the RHA executive committee. Residents on some floors took it so far as to dress up in costumes and wait to scare the judges on their way around. It was a great ware to build community. This event was such an overwhelming success that the RHA decided to throw another hall decorating contest for St. Patrick’s Day. Everything was set up the exact same way; the only thing that changed was the theme and the even greater desire for each team to claim the 1st place prize. To take first place they would need to beat the previous winner of the Halloween contest which boasted a resident in a skeleton costume dancing to Michael Jacksons’” Thriller” on their floor. If you are looking for an event to improve the sense of community and help your residents come together to complete a project, this event definitely provides that opportunity. The best part of this event is that it can apply to a multitude of different themes and it is relatively easy to set up. As long as you provide the materials and enthusiasm, this will surely be an event to remember for first-year students on your campus.
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