Stephanie Steiner | Arts & Life Co-Editor

Being a Residence Assistant (RA) at Buena Vista University (BVU) means you become the keeper of many responsibilities. Maintaining order, answering residents’ questions, and taking turns being “on duty” are just a few of those responsibilities.

But there is more that goes into being an RA than students often take into account. Take a moment to think about the impact your RA has made on your BVU experience thus far: personalized door decorations, checking you in and out of your rooms at the beginning and end of the year, and dropping what they are doing if you have a problem regarding living or a random question such as: “Where can I find a vacuum?”

Senior Egypt Clayton, who has been an RA for two years now, is currently an RA in the suites and says that helping others is what she loves most about the position.

“I love being the person that residents come to with questions. It has taught me to be more sympathetic and understanding toward people who are different than I am,” Clayton said.

And Clayton is not the only one who feels this way. Sophomore Matt Schulz is an RA for the first time this year and is located in Pierce Hall.

“College is a big, new, scary thing and helping people, even if it is just a tiny bit, can make a huge difference,” Schulz said. “I look at things differently. I understand more and I am less quick to judge. The amount of people I have met has been great as well as being recognized at times for what I do.”

Getting to know a great number of other students on campus and having a room to yourself are two major perks of the position. But along with the perks come challenges. RAs constantly strive to be leaders and provide good examples to other students which can become taxing at times. They must be willing to deal with any issues that come up with their residents and handle situations professionally.

Any students interested in becoming an RA are encouraged to schedule a meeting with a returning RA, the Director of Residence Life and Housing Dijon DeLaPorte, or any of the Residence Hall Directors: Craig Wagner, Luke Becker, and Elizabeth LaPlanche to learn more about the position.

“It is not for everyone, and it is time consuming, but as demanding as the position is, it’s extremely rewarding if you genuinely enjoy being around people,” Clayton said.