Residence life fliers, posted all around the Wilkes campus, indicate that students will have the opportunity to “take a step in the right direction” and become a resident assistant for students living on campus.
An information session will be held on Nov. 15 at 5 p.m. in the Miller Conference Room of the Henry Student Center. The interest meeting will involve a discussion of the life of an RA, as well as the application process. Both resident students and commuters interested in filling out an application should attend, according to residence life Director Elizabeth Swantek.
“There is a misconception that only on-campus students can apply to be RAs, but some of our best RAs have been commuters,” Swantek said. “What we look for are very involved commuters, meaning they practically live on campus already.”
Applications become available online Jan. 3 and can be submitted electronically. The application deadline is Jan. 25.
“Students can take some time over their winter break and complete the application, but they are also required to have two recommendations or references from professors, previous RAs, anyone who really knows them the best,” Swantek said.
The recommendation forms will also be available online.
Once students hand in applications, they are expected to attend a group interview session on Feb. 4 in the Marts Gym. Accommodations will be made for those who cannot attend the entire session, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., due to scheduling conflicts involving weekend athletic events.
On average there are around 60 applicants for 20 RA spots, according to Swantek. Though not everyone is selected to be an RA, residence life also selects alternate RAs. These students have met the requirements for an RA position.
“If an RA has to leave the staff for one reason or another, the alternate would then assume the role as an RA,” Assistant Director Danielle Kern said. “As an alternate, you are involved in all of our training and our meetings so you are always up to date.”
RAs are determined at noon on March 2 on the third floor of Passan Hall.