RA Appreciation Week! - West Campus

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 amazing staff in West Campus.

(Felts, Kellogg, & Warren) Staff,
I cannot tell you proud I am to work alongside you this year as you helped students from near and far create a new home. As I look back on this year and reflect I see so many small opportunities that you took to tell a student that you cared them and that you were there for them. Thank you. I was utterly shocked in a good way with the maturity, level of awareness, and understanding you displayed in conversations with, and about our students. When life got crazy with projects, events, and life (as you are full-time college students) I could still trust you to follow through and keep the important things in mind. When the makeup of our team changed you rolled with the punches and trained new staff without missing a beat. You all are the hardest working undergraduates I know of, and it is hard to put into words the difference you have made in the halls and the department as a whole. Thank you so much for all that you do! - Brandon

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Abbott, Brown, Smith, and Steagall. 4 different buildings, each with their own personalities, niches, and quirks. Each of them has different Living Learning Communities (LLCs) that creates a solid community amongst their floors. Together, they come to form our wonderful staff; the 12 RAs that live in each of those buildings take on the same qualities of their respective buildings but are also unique: they represent West Campus.

It has been a pleasure watching our staff grow over the year. They have built relationships amongst the co-RAs in their building, their duty partners, and other RAs from across West Campus. Visually, it is everywhere in our area: in the dining hall as they sit with each other, keeping a fellow RA company while the other is on duty, and during our always-lively staff meetings. They are more than an RA staff: they are a family.

Our staff has had some very difficult things that they have had to deal with. It could have been very easy for many of our staff members to stop giving 100% to their work because of these difficult times. However, in good times and in bad, our staff members always have come back to one question: how can we help? Because of this level of dedication, our staff has continued to triumph over each of these moments. We could not be more proud of them.

Jon and I are so thankful for each of you! You all have done fantastic work that makes both of us very proud. Best of luck to all of you in your future endeavor!

Much Love, Travis & Jon

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The Bailey, Baldwin, Bowyer and Pierce staff has worked hard dealing with student issues, but also creating meaningful events to get their residents out of their rooms and socializing. They have put on different events from a risky business educational series to touring campus to show students their classes. Recently some Bailey Gentlemen were working on some cardboard boats to race this Saturday, and preparing teams for the Olympics by holding try outs. Baldwin has held some discussions, and had some great floor decorating events. The residents really take pride in making the floor their own. Bowyer has enjoyed karaoke and dinner discussions on life. Pierce has been active with game nights and movie nights, and just socializing on the floors. Every building worked hard to get their residents involved within the SIU community, and it shows when the groups are together in the dining center or out at campus events.

The group knows how to work hard in and out of the classroom especially in their positions. This close-knit group can always be found in the dining center eating together, going to the rec center together, or taking their residents to events on campus. I could not be more proud of the hard working, loyal group of staff. This is your week to celebrate all you have accomplished, so thank you for all your hard work.

Jess & Tristen