About Me
Where I am From and How has it Affects the Community Assistant Role
I grew up in Tucson AZ, surrounded by a diverse group of cultures. This means that I am used to interacting with a variety of identities.
New Experiences I Want
I look forward to being a leader on a team and having the opportunity to work in a new environment. This is because I have only worked in McConnell Hall. I am interested in a different demographic of first years or working with upper-class students.
Excelling at Equity and Inclusion
I work to promote this value by emphasizing acceptance in my hall and giving residence the opportunity to express their identities. I have discussed various material with community members about whether the content of their whiteboards was appropriate.
On-Call and Community
Having community members know that there is someone on call helps to build a sense of safety and reliability. Serving on-call builds trust between me and the members of the community. They know that if they have a concern someone will address the issue. I have responded promptly in previous incidents and will continue to do so. On-call also gives me the chance to interact with other students who are not directly in my section.
My Major
I am currently pursuing a double major in Environmental and Civil Engineering. I bring a viewpoint that emphasizes safety and community first. I also have experience identifying problems and working towards solutions.
A skill I want to develop
I would like to improve my communication skills with a more diverse group of people, since I have primarily worked with first year male identifying students. The students are also primarily engineering, business, or health and human services. I hope to gain more communication skills with a different variety of disciplines and identities.
Improve in Learning and Development
I do not always offer opportunities or events for residents to develop academically. I encourage them to seek resources, but I do not bring resources to them. One community partner I want to incorporate into an event is the Academic Success Centers (ASCs). I am currently employed there as a tutor and would like to arrange an event where I bring the ASCs into the building.
Bulletin Boards helping to educate
Bulletin boards educate students passively and offers them information that they may not think to seek out on their own. These boards also give community members the chance to find information about topics they may not be comfortable asking a RA directly. The themes of bulletin boards also make the information more intriguing, and I look forward to creating new boards that make awkward topics more approachable.
My Hobbies
I like to hike and rock climb. I also enjoy playing Dungeons and Dragons and video games. When I am home, I enjoy playing and sitting with my pets including my dogs and snakes.
A Challenge for Myself
Next semester, I want to make a commitment to work more with community partners to create events within the hall. I would like to do this because I believe it gets the community members more involved in the community.
Care and Support
I offer my community members several resources that can support them academically, socially, or mentally. I use several communication channels such as GroupMe, email, and a presence in the community. That way the community members can reach out to me, if they need anything. I often give them autonomy so they can develop into functional adults but occasionally this has left me unaware of problems they are having. I hope to get more involved with them so that they feel more comfortable approaching me with an issue.
Events Building Community
Events give community members more opportunities to interact with each other and build close friendships. The events can also be used to educate people about topics which include academics, equality, and safety. One of my favorite events is the food drive with Louie's Cupboard that informs community members of this valuable resource as well as food insecurity. This event also allows the community members to get more involved with the community. I want to bring more community partners such as Health Promotions and the Academic Success Centers in on events.
Experience as an RA
I have worked as an RA in McConnell Hall for 3 semesters. This has given me a large amount of experience dealing with incidents and a variety of community members from different backgrounds.
Leadership developments
I would like to fulfill more of a mentoring and leadership role within the staff since it will be my third year as a RA. I will be a senior next year; I am excited to be an example to other students. I currently have a 3.95 GPA so I believe I can give students tips on how to be successful and properly manage their time.
Community and Connectedness
The community members often interact and spend time with each other in the hall and the NAU community. I have promoted this by encouraging members of the community to communicate with each other through events and by creating a welcoming and vibrant experience.
Outreach and a Sense of Belonging
By reaching out to students and being available in the hall. I give the community members the feeling that there is someone they can reach out to who appreciates them. The one-on-one interactions reinforce the idea that someone cares about them and will help them. I plan to have more personal interactions with members of the community in the future so as to get to know them and their stories better.
Experience at NAU and Why Does it Matter
Since, I have attended NAU for 4 years I have a large amount of knowledge about NAU and our goals. I am very familiar with resources which include academic resources and other resources from my experience with the Academic Success Centers and Housing and Residence Life.
Opportunities I am Looking For
I hope to get more involved with the community itself and develop a more in-depth relationship with student leaders in the community. This might include members of the Community Council. I hope this allows me to better understand and address the needs of those in the community.
Me and the Mission Statement
I have offered the students the opportunity to connect by giving them the autonomy to seek new experiences while also encouraging them to be safe and seek support when needed. I have informed them of hazards associated with college and attempt to educate them about different cultures and values. Safety is paramount. I always respond when a community member needs me.
Fostering a Community in the Future
I plan to create a community where members can be themselves and learn to develop the skills needed to succeed beyond college. It is important that they learn how to interact with others in a community and communicate their needs to others. I also want to create a community that focuses heavily on safety and acceptance, since everyone deserves to belong somewhere and not have to worry about ridicule or physical harm.