Resident Assistant Spotlight - Alaina Howard

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.

RA Spotlight - Alaina Howard from Warren Hall

What’s your name?
          Alaina Howard

Where are you from?
          Palatine, IL

What’s your major?
          Double major in Fashion Design and Merchandising with a minor in Marketing

Where is the best place to study on campus?
          I like to study in my floor's hallway or in my room.

What is your favorite book?
          Vogue September issue

What is your favorite food in the dining halls?
          It is a tie between their vegan steak fajitas or the veggie tacos.

What is your favorite local restaurant?
          Longbranch! They have the best homemade whipped cream.

Why did you become an RA?
          I like helping others, and I like being someone people can turn to for help.

What is your dream job?
          Either a costume designer for Hollywood movies or a buyer for a major company.

Best advice you would give to a new student on campus?
          Keep up on your studies and take as many credits now as you can to let your senior year 

          glide by.

Are you an RA and would like to be featured? Talk to your Hall Director about submitting your profile information.

Resident Assistant Spotlight - Julia Mosebach

SIU Residence Life has some great things going on, and we want to showcase some of our proud moments on our blog. We are currently accepting applications for Resident Assistants for the spring 2015 semester. More details, along with the application, can be found on our website.

RA Spotlight - Julia Mosebach of Schneider Hall

What’s your name? – Julia Mosebach (proudly representing Schneider Empire!)

Where are you from? – Cape Girardeau, Missouri

What’s your major? – Psychology

Where is the best place to study on campus? – The fourth floor of the library. Turn left off of the elevator and walk past every single book shelf. Turn the corner and there you will see a plush chair with a foot rest. No one ever is back there, and it is so quiet and comfy!

What is your favorite book? – The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare

What is your favorite food in the dining halls? – Vegetarian stir fry :)

What is your favorite local restaurant? – Longbranch! That harvest wrap, though…

Why did you become an RA? – I love helping people through difficulties they're having and being an active listener whenever needed, and I knew that would be a part of my job.

What is your dream job? – Clinical Psychologist (who miraculously has time to travel the world and write novels every now and then).

Best advice you would give to a new student on campus? – Don’t be afraid to be uncertain of why you’re here. Throughout high school it is always forced upon us to have strict career goals and a plan, but a part of college (and possibly the most exciting part, at that) is figuring out what you love.​

Are you an RA and would like to be featured? Talk to your Hall Director about submitting your profile information.

Welcome to the Team - Alisha Severson!

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.

This post was written by Alisha Severson. Alisha is the Assistant Director of Residence Life overseeing West Campus.

My first few weeks at SIU… 

Hello! My name is Alisha Severson and I am the new Assistant Director of Residence Life and will be working with West Campus this upcoming academic year. Before coming to SIU I worked at the University of Northern Iowa, Eastern Illinois University and Ball State University. I am excited to join the SIU family and become a Saluki! 

My first few weeks at SIU have been hectic, but incredibly fun. Professional staff training for our residence life staff is over four weeks in length and I have been enjoying learning about campus, SIU students, and how hard residence life works to create safe, inclusive and engaging environments for the 4,000+ residents that reside in our hall and apartment communities. I have had the opportunity to meet many of the administrative and support staff in housing, help all of our new live-in hall directors move into their buildings and meet with faculty and some of our living learning community partners to discuss mutual goals, resources and plans for the upcoming year. I have been continually impressed by the dedication to students that is clearly present across all academic and administrative departments!

Locally my husband and I have enjoyed figuring out all of the one way streets in Carbondale and trying out the best restaurants in town (Longbranch Cafe is our favorite so far). We also have enjoyed sightseeing around the area and finding our way around SIU’s gorgeous campus! So far the people, the food and the sights have not disappointed! I am thrilled to have the opportunity to join SIU’s residence life team and the dynamic professional staff that work hard to help create strong communities within the residence halls. I am anxiously awaiting the return of our student staff, student leaders and residents in the coming weeks. You can find my office in Lentz Hall on West Campus, stop in and to say hello if you are in the area this Fall!