With the selection of one of the most sought-after positions on campus – Resident Assistants (RAs) – just around the corner, it is important to understand how the RA selection process works. Each year, roughly 150 to 250 students apply for a position that Area Director for On-Campus Housing Steven Couras describes as “both a job and a great leadership opportunity.”
The RA application process consists of four stages: filling out the application on DuckLink, completing the “Knack-It” activities to gauge various attributes and traits, participating in group presentations, and going through an individual interview with Area Directors and Resident Directors. Only those who are able to progress through all four stages have the possibility of being hired as an RA. For the first two stages, on average there are approximately 150 to 250 students, who are then narrowed down to 65 to 70 people. Those students then move on to the group presentation stage, which will take place on one day when all groups will be given a limited amount of time to research a specific topic and create a presentation. All topics deal with higher education and student affairs and are taken from various case studies or recent news headlines. Past topics include the political climate on college campuses, gun violence, and social justice. Couras believes that it is a good stage to observe leadership styles and skills regarding collaboration and teamwork, as well as gauge candidates’ ideas and what they can bring to the Office of Residential Education and our residents. After this stage, the candidate pool is narrowed down to approximately 30 to 35 people, all of whom will sign up for the final stage of one-on-one interviews with Area Directors and Resident Directors. Within a week of the final stage, applicants are informed of whether they have been hired or placed on a waitlist. On average, 18 to 25 new RAs are hired each year, and 10 to 12 students who make it through the entire process but aren’t hired are placed on the waitlist. The final selection process is a collaboration between all the Area Directors and Resident Directors with final approval by Residence Education Associate Director Kurtis Watkins.
Before this process, it is helpful to come to an information session to find out more about the RA position and ask questions. There are two more information sessions being offered this year: one on November 7 at 3 p.m. in EAS 222 and one on November 13 at 10 a.m. in Bissinger. The Office of Residential Education also produces a yearly promotional video, in which current RAs detail the responsibilities of the role, the application process, and the compensation package. The video can be found at this link: https://youtu.be/GuJvoiOvW8E.
Astonishingly, this year’s first information session on October 29 brought a record-breaking number of students. Typically, about 100 students attend, but this year approximately 200 students attended, nearly filling Kidde 228.
Current RAs can also reapply, but their application process is completely different. Returning RAs put together binders displaying what they did throughout the year as well as their future plans as an RA.
The RA selection process is competitive, but Couras says to not get discouraged if a student is not selected their first or second time applying. There is no limit to how many times a student can apply to be an RA, and in the meantime to improve their application they can get more involved on campus, work as a summer RA, attend Residential Education programs, and join the newly-forming hall councils.
Be First to Comment