Dear RAs,
June Newsletter
A Note From Residential Engagement Leadership
Welcome 2017-2018 Resident Advisors!
We are very excited to welcome you all to the Residential Engagement Team for the 2017-2018 year! The Residential Engagement Team staff have been hard at work preparing for your arrival and planning for an amazing year ahead. We have taken many of the ideas and suggestions our former (and returning!) RAs have shared over the past year and are excited to see how the enhancements to training, communication, and support will enable even greater success for all our RAs.
Our Resident Advisors are at the core of residential life at GW. Whether having coffee with residents trying to settle on a major or trying to find their place at GW to leading programs and initiatives, Resident Advisors each have an opportunity to find unique ways to add value to their residents' experiences. The advice, guidance, care, and mentorship RAs provide to other students are what make the RA leadership role among the most impactful. Resident Advisors serve as a vital peer-to-peer connection between students, support systems, communities, and the university.
You have an incredibly talented support network of Residence Directors and Area Coordinators who will be working with you through this formative experience. We are all committed to seeing each of you succeed in your RA experience. I encourage you to make the most of the connections and relationships with all of the staff and students who are part of our Residential Engagement Team. The year goes by faster than you think but the experiences, friendships, mentoring relationships, and skills you develop as an RA will endure long after your time at GW.
On behalf the entire Residential Leadership Team (Colette, Renee, and Stewart), I look forward seeing what each of you will undoubtedly contribute to your residents' experiences and celebrating your own successes along the way.I hope you have a great summer and look forward to welcoming you in August!
Greg Rheault
Director, Residential Engagement
Colette Coleman
Director
Mount Vernon Campus Events and Special Services
Why is what we do as a cohesive staff important?
Humans require connection for survival, the role our staff play offers opportunities for new connections. Finding community in a new environment can be a daunting task, its nice to know that there is someone there to help outline a path that you can easily navigate when ready.
What's been the best day on the job for you?
I love move-in. It is a milestone in the lives of not only the student but the family members that support them. I have assisted crying parents and laughed with nervous students on day one and it is such a bonding moment. It truly is one of the highlights of the year for me.
Greg Rheault
Director of Residential Engagement
Plymouth, Massachusetts
Advice for New RAs: An RA is not something anyone tell you exactly how do be. Be yourself, get to know the individual residents in your community, and you will develop your own style that fits your personality and resident needs. Get to know your team members and the staff throughout the CSE who value the relationships we have with our RAs. Have fun, laugh, and remember that you have the support of the entire Residential Engagement Team when you need it.
What's your funniest memory from being an RA?
I was an RA for 3 years at the University of Vermont. One time, a group of freshmen residents were planning a prank on their roommate for his birthday. There had been a fire alarm earlier in the day, so I initiated a conversation with him about how the "investigation" revealed that he had set it off (he had been in the shower at the time).I convinced him he had somehow pressed the test button on the alarm located in the center of the bathroom while showering. I told him he would need go to submit an "official statement" admitting he had pressed the button and pay the "$500 fine". It was a stupid prank, but the residents thought it was great. Bonus: they all learned a lesson in not taking blame for something you didn't do.
Renee Kashawlic
Assistant Director, Residential Engagement
Detroit, Michigan
What was your experience like as an RA?
Sshhh. Little known secret - I was never an RA. I actually only lived on-campus in a residence hall as an undergrad for 61 days. But since, I've lived on-campus at 5 different institutions and adore my home in West Hall.
Advice for Returning RAs: You know the job - you know it, we know it - now, let's have some fun. Think about your mark - your legacy. What will your contribution be? We've been tackling some serious questions and needs from the past academic year and I feel we have a great energy and vision for the year ahead.
Stewart Robinette
Big Stone Gap, Virginia
What experience propelled you into the position you're in today?
During my junior year as an RA, a resident came to me with what seemed to be a minor issue: she was concerned because was someone “following” her on Instant Messenger and that was showing up in other places for others to see. We spoke for about 30 minutes, then I got her in touch with our Area Coordinator.
I didn’t think much of it until over a year later when she showed up at my door, with a thank-you card, telling me that I had kept her from withdrawing from college. It turns out that me getting her in touch with the AC helped her to have a deeper conversation, and get the help she needed. That was life-changing for me. In our roles, we can do small things that make a huge impact in people’s lives.
What are you most excited about in the upcoming academic academic year?
So many things! We increased the number of RAs that we have on our team, which means there are more of you to interact with our residents! Org Sync for the Residence Halls is being rolled out after a successful pilot year in District and Madison/Mitchell. We have a brand new AC in Charlotte McCloud that is bringing a ton of experience and knowledge to our team.
Our team is working this summer on tweaking the programming model and how to better provide feedback so you know that what you are doing with your residents is making a difference. We have reconfigured some of our building groups to better support our team members and our residents. Finally, we continue to bolster training and forums, focusing on making it more experiential, timely, and fun.
Gearing Up for Fall Training
This year, you'll help guide freshmen residents who have been dropped into a new environment made up of people from different backgrounds, cultures, interests, habits, abilities, and sexual orientations. Or upperclassmen now juggling internships, student organizations, applications for grad school, and the looming real world. Your professional staff counterparts are excited to begin to prepare you for all for the challenges and rewards that come with your new community.
So what exactly does fall training look like? Fall training starts with a welcome dinner on the night of August 12th! August 13th begins the first official day of training. Throughout the following two-weeks, we will cover everything you need to know to start the year off right with your residents! Training is also a time for you have fun and to get to know the whole Residential Engagement team.
We all eagerly await RA Move-In on the 12th of August - other important dates occurring throughout the academic year are also included in this email.
RA Move-In
Saturday, Aug 12, 2017, 03:00 PM
George Washington University
FALL TRAINING
Sunday, Aug 13, 2017, 09:00 AM
George Washington University
Move-In Day & First Night
Saturday, Aug 26, 2017, 08:00 AM
George Washington University
First Day of Classes
Monday, Aug 28, 2017, 08:00 AM
George Washington University
Mark Your Calendar: Other Important Dates
Fri. Sep. 15, 2017 from 3:00-5:00pm Team Forum
Fri. Oct. 13, 2017 from 3:00 - 5:00pm Team Forum
Fri. Nov. 10, 2017 from 3:00 - 5:00pm Team Forum
Fri. Dec. 8, 2017 from 3:00 - 5:00pm Team Forum
Fri. Dec. 22, 2017 at 3:00pm - Resident Advisors may depart for winter break
Wed. Jan. 10, 2018 at 5:00pm Resident Advisor may return for winter training
Fri. Jan. 12, 2018 at 6:00pm Winter Training ends
Tues. Jan. 16, 2018 - First Day of Spring Semester Classes
Fri. Feb. 9, 2018 from 3:00 - 5:00pm Team Forum
Fri. Mar. 23, 2018 from 3:00 - 5:00pm Team Forum
Fri. Apr. 20, 2018 from 3:00 - 5:00pm Team Forum/End of the Year Celebration
TBD: End of the Year Division of Student Affairs Celebration
Mon. May 21, 2018 at 6:00pm Resident Advisors depart for Summer Break
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is food provided during fall training?
A: Yes! On days when RAs have a full schedule of workshops and presentations, lunch will be provided by the CSE.
Q: What will my schedule look like during training?
A: The two-week schedule will be full of activities to get RAs prepared to RA! During the day, sessions and events typically run from 9 to 5, with some team time in the evening. Due to our full schedule, please don't plan on juggling another internship or job.
Q: Will there be residents living in my halls when I move-in?
A: There may be lingering summer residents, or some of your residents may move-in early. If you see a new face, you could introduce yourself as the new RA to the floor!