Posted on Aug. 28: Residence life staff soften first-year transition

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/residence-staff–250.jpg” caption=”Residence life staff”]In September 2001,University was initially overwhelming for the first-year student who came from small-town Ontario. David Kennedy could sense that. “She was terrified,” said the residence life community advisor (CA). “I knew she was feeling lonely and I kept talking to her and asking her how everything was going.”

Finally, on her third day in residence, she broke down. She talked to Kennedy about how she missed home and how university was overwhelming. While reassuring and counseling her, Kennedy recalled the training sessions he underwent to prepare for such situations.

The fourth-year honours economics student is in training again this week, to learn how to be an effective CA. He and more than 100 other CA's and residence program assistants (RPA's) are involved in a two-week training session to prepare for the first-year students they will mentor and advise in McMaster's 10 residences throughout the school year ahead.

“The CA's and RPA's have a really significant impact on students' experiences and that is why we have such an intensive training,” says Danielle Stayzer, residence life co-ordinator “They are role models and first-year students really look up to them.”

Students are also getting younger, and issues that CA's and RPA's deal with are changing, Stayzer adds. “Students have been getting younger over the last couple of years so we have been refining our training to meet the changing needs,” she says. “We train staff on getting to know each individual on the floor and finding out what the specific needs are of each student. If they find out a large number of the students on their floor are younger they will plan activities to best accommodate them.”

Residence life staff are expected to organize non-alcoholic activities, something that students seem to be getting used to. “There is an increased focus on academics for students,” Stayzer says. “I think it's because university has become more competitive.”

The sessions, from Aug. 21 to 30, provide skills-based training in issues such as time-management, peer helping and programming. Several groups from across campus, including the Centre for Student Development, Athletics and Recreation and the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Centre also give presentations.

The part-time paid positions are open to students in second-year or higher. While CA's supervise between 25 and 40 students, located on each floor, one RPA is located in each of the residences.

Tharani Casinathen, a third-year biochemistry/business student, was a CA last year. The experience, she says, transformed her. “You change 360,” she says. “You develop patience and communication skills, but really it's the way you look at things that is different.” The experience was so rewarding that she decided apply for an RPA position this year.

What she doesn't realize is the impact she had on the students she supervised. Oriana Ly, second-year life sciences, does. “She helped me so much,” says Ly, training as a CA. “She helped me grow and become a stronger person. She probably didn't realize the impact she was having on us, because it was just her everyday support and encouragement.”

Photo caption: Residence life staff David Kennedy, Tharani Casinathen and Oriana Ly stand outside of Whidden Hall. Photo credit: Chantall Van Raay