Park University has a myriad of different levels and types of faculty and staff members. There are professors, work study students, janitors, library staff and many other positions that help the university run on a daily basis. One of those positions is that of the resident assistant.

There are 13 RAs in total – seven in the Copley Quad dormitory and six in the Chestnut dormitory – each with their own hallway to supervise. These student leaders have the position of being both a peer and a leader to the residents in their hall. They are the first resource students are encouraged to reach out to when they have questions about life on campus.

Moira Potter, a junior honors student in the social psychology major; and Kara Lough, a junior student in the elementary education major, hold the RA title to two different freshmen floors for the 2014-2015 school year.

Potter described being an RA for an all honors student floor as being a unique experience.

“Being an honors floor of freshmen, we all have this mindset that we all have something in common,” Potter said. “I get less resident life questions and more academic questions about classes or schedules. It’s a little different day to day process.”

Potter said her favorite part of the position is watching her residents grow.

“They’ve come so far,” she said.  There’s a big kind of difference when you first enter college and when you leave your first year. They become more confident in themselves, they start asking better questions and watching them grow into what they can be makes me so proud.”

One floor above Potter’s honors academy students in Copley Quad is Lough’s freshmen hallway. Lough’s motivation to become an RA at Park University stem from the desire to gain practical experience for her future career in teaching.

“I applied my freshman year of college because my major is education so I thought having a hallway residence would better me for becoming a teacher later in life by working with my residents,” said Lough. “The best part is getting to know 19 new people each year. Knowing you’re getting 19 new names that you get to know and communicate and help through their freshman year is really amazing.”

Among their other duties as a resident assistant, every hallway must be redecorated periodically with a new theme. Both Potter and Lough said they enjoy beautifying their hallways for their residents and ensuring their bulletin boards provide fun and important information. Another requirement is they must have two community-building activities a month.

Lough and Potter shared some of their favorite activities they’ve shared with their hallways.

“Last year and this year we did a secret Santa where everybody drew a name of someone in the hallway,” Lough said. “The week of finals week, we got together on that Monday to exchange gifts and share food. I also love doing an Easter egg hunt back in the nature sanctuary. We had a great turn out for it last year.”

On Potter’s floor, everyone’s busy academic schedules make it hard to find time to schedule community-builders but they managed a fun event around the holiday season.

“We’ve had pizza and movie night, a Christmas party and ‘Honorsgiving’, which was a potluck Thanksgiving where everyone brought a dish,” said Potter. “It can be difficult to work around their schedules but it’s always a really good time when we do.”