By Sophia Raspanti
With the deadline to apply to become a Resident Advisor right around the corner, we sat down with Becca Gillison, the Assistant Director for Student Staff Recruitment and Selection, to learn about working as a Resident Advisor for Carolina Housing.
Gillison’s advice for students that are on the fence is to “go ahead and apply”. Gillison emphasized that students will gain valuable exposure to the position and professional staff as they move through the application process. However, if you want to learn more about why being a resident advisor is one of the most popular jobs amongst Carolina students, read below.
#1. You will learn a wide range of practical and transferable skills.
Working as a resident advisor will teach you a wide variety of practical and transferable skills that will translate into any field. You’ll learn skills in crisis management, problem solving, communication, time management, conflict management, and more!
#2. You will become an integral part of the Carolina Community.
As an RA, you will create and be a part of a vibrant community of your peers. Housing staff are among those that create a sense of belonging for each other and connect with others on a deeper level than inside of the classroom. You have the chance to make a lasting impact on students and your peers, so why not give it a try?
#3. You will be a part of a supportive team!
It’s no secret that classes at UNC are challenging and time consuming. Many employment opportunities are relatively inflexible when it comes to scheduling conflicts and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. As an employee of Carolina Housing, we are aware that you are a student first and an employee second. While your role as a Resident Advisor is incredibly important, your team of fellow RAs, Community Directors, and more are here to support not only your role as an RA but as a student as well.
#4. You don’t need to give up your study abroad plans!
Many students hope to study abroad for a semester while at Carolina. There’s no reason to worry about missing out on these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities while being an RA! Carolina Housing is happy to work with students interested in studying abroad, so feel free to do both!
The Carolina student body is a vibrant, diverse group of students with a wide range of interests, skills, and experiences. However, differences in skillsets, interests, and life experiences shouldn’t be a factor that holds students back from applying. Gillison states that the only requirement for students that hope to become Resident Advisors is the desire to build a welcoming community. The rest, she says, will fall into place as the student grows into their role as a campus leader.