Does your student appreciate their Carnegie Mellon University community and connections? Are they looking to take on a more active, leadership role? The duties of an RA include facilitating a welcoming environment, connecting with fellow students, and learning valuable life and professional skills. Read on to hear from current RAs, and see if this position would be a good fit for your student!

The CMU Housing Model

At Carnegie Mellon, there are fifteen housing communities total. Within these communities, student leaders and dedicated staff members live alongside their residents to foster welcoming, tight-knit environments. Each house includes a Housefellow, a Community Advisor (CA), and a staff of Resident Assistants (RAs).

First Year housing is required and guaranteed for all incoming freshman, but in later years, Upper-class housing and Greek housing (for fraternity and sorority members) become viable options for students.

 

What does an RA do?

An RA is a paraprofessional student employee within the Office of Residential Education. Resident Assistants bolster a sense of community, by being there when their residents need them—being a continuous presence in the halls, offering friendship and guidance, and creating a safe space for each resident to grow and learn in their housing community.

RAs find ways to bring their floor together and create opportunities for their residents to feel more engaged with CMU at large. In short, they are student leaders ready to help others, listen attentively, and learn with open-mindedness.

What’s it like to be an RA?

Let’s talk to three current RAs talk about their experiences: why they wanted this job, what they’ve learned so far and what advice they’d give to prospective RAs.

 

Josh Pinckney, The Intersection

 

What is your favorite memory from working as an RA?

“Just playing a movie in my apartment and having some of my residents walk through, join, eat snacks and just getting to talk to them in an easy-going setting.”

What is something valuable you’ve learned from your RA experience?

“I’ve learned a lot about myself from being an RA. Mostly that sometimes the best way you can impact other people is to just be yourself and be good to others. People will take notice and may even begin to settle into aspects of themselves that they weren’t comfortable with prior.”

What advice would you give someone who wants to be an RA?

 “The best advice I could offer someone wanting to be an RA is to reflect about your personal goals and your goals for contributions to campus life. From there, talk to current RAs and Housefellows, educating yourself about the ResEd experience and see if you really believe in that experience and it overlaps with your goals.”

 

Sophie Yang, The Residence on Fifth

 

What advice would you give someone who wants to be an RA?

“To anyone interested in being an RA, be authentic. Be honest about why you are interested, the skills you bring, and your personal values. My CA and Housefellow have said many times: every RA is unique and valued for their true self.”

What skills have you gained from being an RA that can serve you in the future?

“Being an RA has helped me grow a lot as a community member. It has taught me different ways to support people and the importance of listening to understand, not just listening to reply. It has helped me become a better community member and more confident in myself.”

What is your favorite memory from working as an RA?

“One of my favorite memories is when we prepared for house wars in the Rez. It was a lot of fun to make pink props, put on pink accessories, and hype each other up before walking to campus together. We had really awesome, goofy cheers that helped us feel like one big team.”

 

Sofia Zayas, Welch House

 

What is the best thing, in your opinion, about your housing community?

“The best thing about my community is how they care and think about each other. Often I see residents writing in the group chat, asking if they could borrow something for a class, a project, or a club event, and other residents respond. They write to let people know that their laundry is done, or that they can’t pick it up for a while, so others can take their clothes out of the machine. They leave messages of encouragement for others on white boards, and drawings, too.”

How has working with your residents helped you grow as a person?

“That success isn’t measured by the number of residents that attend your events, or how many of them you interact with daily and impact their lives. Success can be as simple as making two people happy by relieving them of stress, maybe by leaving a note or snacks at their door.”

What is something valuable you’ve learned from your RA experience?

“I think working with my residents has made me grow as a person because I have become more patient and appreciative of the small things. As RAs, we’re required to throw events for our residents, check in on them, and be there for them when they need us. I’ve also learned to appreciate the small things—it’s moments like getting ice cream or food for them late at night (or them sharing food with you) that might mean the most.”

 

 

Thinking of Applying?

The RA application closes on January 20 at 11:59 p.m.. For more application information, visit the Residential Education website.