Living in the residence halls they oversee, RAs act as mentors, guides, and companions to their fellow residents. They arrive on campus ahead of other students to prepare the residence halls for new arrivals and undergo extensive training for their roles.
What do RAs do to prepare for students to move in?
- Flagler RAs are trained in fire safety, first aid (+ mental health first aid), CPR, and campus procedures
- With campus partners like: Campus Assessment, Referral, and Evaluation (CARE); Safety & Security, Financial Aid, the Registrar, the Proctor Library, Center for Global Education, Flagler College Ambassadors, and the Honors Program.
- RAs are equipped to write incident reports, title IX reports, CARE referrals, and other student wellness reports.
- RAs do nightly rounds of all Residence halls.
- Each RA holds weekly office hours in the Student Affairs suite (Ringhaver Student Center, second floor).
- RAs develop programming for monthly themes. For example: August is ‘welcome’-themed!
What kind of programming do you organize to build community?
Durand said RAs create three kinds of programming, typically following monthly themes:
- Passive (giveaways, fidget toys, etc.)
- Active (like crafts, dance parties, and karaoke)
- Educational (pamphlets, one-sheeters, and other learning-based activities)
Adrianna Peluso | RA for Lewis Hall
Junior, first-year RA
Biology major
How can RAs make students feel more comfortable on Move-In Day?
“Coming from out of state, [it made a difference] seeing all the smiles and offers to help on Move-In Day. I remember getting my key, and my RA handing it to me saying, ‘I’m your RA, we’re going to have such a great year!’ Then I walked over to my room, and I saw my name on my door... I was like, ‘Okay, this is going to be okay. I have people here, these people who I've never met, but they're all here for me.’”
Danny Rodriguez | Lead RA
Senior, third-year RA
Criminology major, Psychology minor
What is the role of a Lead RA?
“Lead RAs act as the connection between our team of Resident Advisors and the ‘Pro Staff’ that we have...We are the bridge in that hierarchy. The RA team comes to Lead RAs for guidance on how to handle situations or if they need any [advice] on self-care, mental health, etc. Because RAs take care of a lot of students, it's important that we take care of ourselves as well. The Lead RAs are there... to communicate with those higher up campus partners... It alleviates some of the pressure. On duty rounds, as Valerie mentioned, normally if there’s a situation the RA would call their Lead RA first and we come and help guide the solution.”
How do you feel like you've grown in your leadership abilities and why is being an RA something that you want to keep doing?
“I honestly never thought I would stick with this for as long as I have. I came into it because I didn't have a lot of friends. I wasn't very social and I wasn't using all the resources that were available to me. I met some RAs who were absolutely wonderful, and I made a really good connection with them. So, I applied [to be an RA] and got it. Ever since then, my personality has been growing and I’ve found different parts of myself that I didn't even know existed. I've learned how to talk, not just with students, but campus partners and professionals. It's made me better at communication in general and better at taking on leadership roles. I have no issue with guiding people and being that voice for them that I needed when I first got here... I just never thought that I would have the capability to even do it, and now I feel like I can excel at it.”
Matt Rodriguez | RA for FEC
Sophomore, first-year RA
Theatre Arts major, Cinematic Arts and Music minor
What makes Flagler feel like home?
“I think what really [attracted] me to Flagler and eventually becoming an RA is the community and values of the College. Everyone knows each other and really cares for each other. You see it in other student staff positions and with the faculty and staff... and that's a benefit for Flagler, especially being a small campus...”
Sabrina Brown | RA for Ponce Hall
Sophomore, first-year RA
Psychology major, Biology minor
What made you want to become an RA?
“I wanted to become an RA because of my positive experience with Residence Life during my freshman year. Last year, I lived in the Honors Living Learning Community in Lewis Hall. My RA, Carly Stern, was an incredible leader and so welcoming to me. She really did make a difference in my time as a freshman, especially living with other honors students. These are people I'm going to see in my classes for the next three years, so I wanted to connect with them, and she made it so easy... She also was such a welcoming base; she really was that person that I knew I could go to if I had any questions. I wanted to [create] that same experience for somebody else... I'm really excited to be that welcoming face for the students... I'll be a part of their college memories forever, and I want to make sure it's a positive experience.”
