In an attempt to stand out from other candidates, one Wilkes University Colonel has garnered national attention with her creative application for a resident assistant position.

Christine Walsh is a freshman honors student studying under the dual concentrations of business management and integrative media. After a few months of life as a Colonel, she made the decision to apply for a resident assistant position so that she can help future students with their own transitions.

The way in which she applied, through a music video parody set to the tune of “Uptown Funk,” has fixed a national spotlight on the first-year student.

The video has reached about 20,000 views on YouTube and Walsh has received kudos and job offers from higher education institutions across the map. She won’t be leaving campus any time soon, though, as she finds Wilkes University and the Colonel lifestyle is the perfect atmosphere for academic success and personal growth.

“The willingness of all members of the Wilkes community to lend a helping hand, whether in the form of simply holding the door for the person behind you or volunteering your time to tutor a peer, is something that sets us apart from other amazing colleges and universities,” Walsh said. “I could not be happier about my decision to attend Wilkes. This place is my second home and I feel blessed to be here.”

Walsh finds that ‘being Colonel’ is one characteristic that will play a role in her future success.

“Being Colonel means being ready and willing to put yourself out there in ways that will benefit not only yourself, but people around you as well,” Walsh said. “It is not an attitude I only carry while I’m on campus, but a lifestyle that I have chosen to implement every day. I can say confidently that all of the people that I’ve met on campus share this same attitude, whether professors, students or other faculty.”

While transitioning into the college student lifestyle, her own resident assistant, Valerie Woods, was able to influence Walsh to get involved on campus and take hold over new opportunities. Walsh credits her RA for being a driving influence behind applying for the position.

“I honestly never considered being an RA until I met my RA, Valerie Woods, at the beginning of first semester,” Walsh said. “I was terrified to come to college. I was nervous about making friends, succeeding in classes, and getting involved on campus. Val helped make my transition much smoother than I ever thought it would or could be.

“The thought of being able to help my future residents the way that Val has helped me is something that motivates me to be the best I can be every day,” she added.

Woods finds that having Walsh as a resident has been equally rewarding.

“She has made me so proud as an RA,” Woods said. “She remains involved in the hall and on campus as a whole, going above and beyond in everything she does. She’s truly a model Colonel.”

While Walsh’s YouTube channel has a number of well-received videos of cover songs and her video editing is commendable, the freshman has only recently felt comfortable sharing her talents after some encouragement from her fellow classmates.

“There was always a part of me that wanted to get on stage, but I had severe performance anxiety that held me back,” admitted Walsh. “When I got to Wilkes, my roommates heard me singing in my room, and they pushed me upload covers to YouTube. Since then, I have started to come out my shell in terms of singing in front of others, but there is still a long way for me to go before I feel completely comfortable performing regularly.”

Despite the recent attention, Walsh has different plans for her future after Wilkes University.

“I hope to own my own company one day,” Walsh said. “I love taking on tasks in their very early stages, and seeing them through to the end. I’d love to own and operate a non-profit, as service and giving back has always been an integral part of my life.”

Walsh has secured a position as a resident assistant for the 2016-2017 academic year and hopes that other students are able to use their own passions to create an awarding experience during their time as undergraduate students.

“The entire video experience has been an honor and I feel truly humbled by the positive support I’ve received around campus,” said Walsh. “I think it’s really important for all Wilkes students to understand that actively seeking out opportunities to express yourself, your passions and your talents is going to be the difference between having a good experience as a Colonel, and having the BEST experience you could have.”