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The Voice

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The Voice

ResLife searching for new CA’s

     Residence Life is now accepting applications for new Community Assistants until Jan. 29, 2019 at 4:00 p.m.; only a select few students will be chosen for the full-time position.

     “[A] Community Assistant is a pure mentor, a leader within their hall,” says Residence Area Coordinator Benjamin Staub.

     According to Staub, who presides over Montour and Schuylkill Halls, the individuals in this position are the source of information for students living on campus, and the job requires extensive knowledge of campus resources. This information helps first-year students with learning about bus schedules, academics, etc.

     “We have 106 CA’s and 12 Cores.…that varies from year to year depending on housing needs and locations. So, it’s usually about 110-125 [CA’s and Cores total],” says Staub.

     According to Staub, this position teaches students leadership, teamwork, and conflict management: “you get so many skills out of this position…for future jobs.”

     The CA position is a yearlong commitment where students work about 20 hours full time. Since experience living on campus is required, the position is only opened to sophomores and above; prospective CA’s must also have a cumulative GPA above 2.40. Not only does the job come with a housing waiver, but workers are also given a stipend of about $187.56.

     Before someone can become a CA, they must go through the CA selection process, an observation activity where students are placed in groups and observed carefully by current Cores and CA’s.

     After this, a two-step interview is held by either three or more residence life representatives such as Area Coordinators (supervisors over a designated area of residence halls), Graduate Hall Directors (Managers over the cores and community assistants) or Cores and CA’s. Students are then notified by email if they are selected to fill the available position, are an alternative or didn’t get the position.

     James Sharpe, a CAin Luzerne hall, has held his position for three years and says the job helped him gain community relation and management experience.

     “I am learning how to build a community and how to get people who aren’t going to interact to interact. It’s not the sole purpose of the job, but it’s what I look forward to and try very much to accomplish with my interaction” Sharpe says.

     Sharpe says that students interested in the position should keep an open mind and attitude while being themselves, saying that is what Residence Life is looking for in their CA’s.

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