Responsibility, passion, enthusiasm, selflessness, compassion, integrity, magnanimity, and trust.
A resident assistant at Hillsdale College must exhibit all of these qualities and set a worthy example for those students under their care, the deans said.
Up in the deans’ offices in Central Hall, the selection process for RAs has recently begun. Fifty men and 73 women applied for positions for the 2012-13 academic year. There are 12 spots left to fill for the men and 23 spots for the women. Returning RAs have already been placed.
Rebekah Dell, associate dean of women, said the number of applicants is almost exactly the same as last year, indicating a steadily high interest in the RA positions.
This is especially true in Simpson Residence. Of the 50 applications sent in from Hillsdale men, 25 of those came from Simpson.
Senior John Bonvillian, one of the five senior RAs leaving after this semester, is proud of the enormous number of underclassmen who applied for a chance at the position.
“I believe these men wanted to step up and become RAs so that they can be positive influences and leaders for the present and future residents at Simpson,” Bonvillian said. “With such quality applicants, Dean Pete and Chief Rodgers are going to have a hard time deciding who will be the next RAs in Simpson. They [the Simpson applicants] are highly involved on campus and are quality young men looking to make a difference in dorm life.”
With so many applicants and a limited amount of spots to fill, Dell and Jeff Rogers, associate dean of men, will select RAs based on a few key factors.
“There are sacrifices that you have to be willing to make as an RA,” Dell said. “But it is rewarding at the same time. You need a desire to help your fellow students grow and learn.”
Being an RA in Simpson for the past three years was an incredibly rewarding experience for Bonvillian.
“It has allowed me to grow as a leader, and I have met and become friends with guys that I would have otherwise never known if I had lived off campus,” he said. “I am truly grateful that I was given the opportunity to be an RA.”
“I’m pleased with that,” Rogers said. “I would call that a success. I would be concerned if I only got a few applications.”
With so many applicants and a limited amount of spots to fill, Dell and Rogers will select RAs based on a few key factors.
“There are sacrifices that you have to be willing to make as an RA,” Dell said. “But it is rewarding at the same time. You need a desire to help your fellow students grow and learn.”
Rogers agreed with Dell that an RA is more of a mentoring position rather than a walking set of rules.
“I’m not hiring police. I’m hiring guys who are interesting in community,” he said. “We need guys that are compassionate and want to build a relationship.”
Being an RA comes also with enormous amounts of responsibility, Rogers said. But Rogers believes should be no trouble finding worthy candidates.
“RAs are an extension of myself and Dean Petersen,” Rogers said. “What we’re looking for, we should already have. It’s the honor code. It’s what [the students] should be doing anyway.”
