New Job, New Community...Seven Weeks Later

Seven weeks ago I started my first full-time job in the higher education field. Life is definitely interesting being back in a 40+ hour a week job with no studying or classes to take. I have a dual position at Franklin College as the Coordinator of New Student Programs and Residence Hall Coordinator.

New Student Programs (NSP) is in the process of creating a new identify and redefining some of its goals and purposes. There are four main components to the position: NSP Mentors, NSP Registration sessions, NSP Orientation, and LA 100: New Student Leadership Seminar. Mentors are selected each spring to assist with the other components of NSP and also take a leadership practicum course in the fall which I currently co-teach. The practicum course helps the mentors reflect on their interactions with the students outside the classroom as well as their role in the LA 100 classroom. There are three day long NSP Registration sessions for all new students, which is followed by a 4-day orientation program at the beginning of the fall semester. Each new student is then required as part of their liberal arts curriculum to take the LA 100: New Student Leadership Seminar course. This class teaches students basics for transitioning into college, the mission and values of Franklin, and focuses on excellence, leadership, and service. Those are the main components of that half of my job.

The other half of my job is serving as a residence hall coordinator for a hall of about 108 students. The residents reside in either single rooms with communal bathroom or double rooms with a shared bathroom making a 4 person suite of sorts. There are a couple exceptions but that is the basic layout of the building. It is a coed building with 2 floors women and 1 floor men. I supervise 6 resident assistants (RA) and am in charge of the room selection process in the spring. Of course, there are lots of other things that go along with the job, but those are the basics.

Needless to say, if you understand anything about the two positions, you will understand why I fell off the face of the earth during August. The first week was getting acquainted and attending several different training sessions. Week two was RA training from Sunday – Monday pretty much non-stop. Week three was mentor training followed by orientation. Week four concluded orientation and was the beginning of school. Therefore, weeks 2 through 4 included students moving back into the residence halls.

Overall, the experience has been great. I am looking forward to getting to know people on campus, expand the programs, and develop stronger ones. Key is not trying to do everything in the first 6 months  There are a lot of caring, wonderful people on campus.