RA Appreciation Week! - Neely Hall

SIU Residence Life has some great things going on, and we want to showcase some of our proud moments on our blog. We also hope people considering working in RA, graduate assistant, or full-time positions with our department will take a minute to learn more about the things we are doing. More information about our department, including position descriptions, application information, and graduate and full-time staff profiles can be found on our recruitment website.

April 20-26 is Resident Assistant Appreciation Week! In Residence Life we know our RAs work very hard to provide a great experience for our on-campus residents. THANK YOU for all you do, RAs! This post features the fantastic staff in Neely Hall.

     I would like to thank the Neely Hall RAs for another great year. We started by having one of the busiest move-in days Neely Hall has ever seen. You worked extra shifts, hauled student belongings, and assisted parents. After many many hours on your feet, you escorted students to the various Saluki Startup events.

     You helped residents become acclimated to campus. Showed them how to do laundry, how to put money on their student IDs, how Grinnell works, and how to loft their beds. You helped connect their laptops and tablets to the internet. You helped them understand how to swipe-in at the front desk and how to check out the kitchen key.

     You helped them have tough conversations with significant others still in high school. You helped them connect with their parents after they lost their cell phone. You held wildly successful game nights, and movie nights, and make-your-own-sundae nights. You met with roommates for hours and hours, attempting to smooth over disagreements.

     You showed residents the Rec, took them to all the Dawg’s Nights Out, baked cookies, decorated cupcakes, tie-dyed t-shirts, made door decorations, nurtured student leaders, helped them study, brought them to lectures, connected them with faculty, and gave tours to parents and prospective students. You held a fantastic trick or treat event throughout the hall. You had floor dinners and planned events with residents. I think everyone in Neely now knows how to make a s’more and has eaten at least two.

     You’ve provided students with your patience, with tissues and cleaning supplies, with your undivided attention, with change for the pop machine, with your wisdom, with free condoms, with your caring and supportive words, with pens and paper, and with smiles and lifelong memories.

     I cannot thank you enough for the personal attention you provide to the residents, the late hours, the piles of paperwork, the last minute changes, reading all my emails, the interrupted sleep, the caring and concern you display, and the corny jokes and bad puns. It has been a fantastic year and words cannot adequately express the amount of gratitude I have for you and how you have stepped up to tackle all this year has presented.

Thank you Neely RAs for all you do! - Ryan