St. Olaf Residence Life Blog

2010-2011 Banquet

2011-05-13T13:20:00.008-05:00

In typical Residence Life fashion - bussing our own dishes, pictures, music, and lots of candy - our celebration of our year together was a blast! Here are a few of the pictures of all our lovely looking staffs. There is also a link to the video slideshow for those who weren't able to make it last night and wanted to see it.

It has been a year that will be remembered by the new friendships and relationships that were formed, the personal and professional growth that was both forced and embraced, the new experiences in crisis management that were gained, and the new titles that were acquired - mentor, facilitator, mediator, listener, problem-solver, programmer, supporter, community builder, supervisor and friend. You will always have your Res Life hat, even if you put it away for awhile - or always - and we are honored to share in that with you all. Thank you for all the work you've done and will continue to do, both officially and unofficially. We hope you've gained as much as you've put into this experience. Enjoy whatever is next in your life story.

Have a wonderful summer!

-Pamela & Charlie

-Ali, Amanda, Glen, Jessica & Ross

Here is the slideshow on youtube. It is a private video so you cannot search for it - you need to follow this link...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9m_JDAF6Lo

Casino Night!

2011-03-02T15:29:00.004-06:00

The 2011 Casino Night was a huge success!

A HUGE THANK YOU to IHC and all staff involved in the planning and preparation as well as all volunteers who helped make it such a great night. It was a major success because of all your hard work and dedication. Great job everyone! :)

Interim Adventures!

2011-02-22T14:37:00.015-06:00

It was an adventurous interim for the Residence Life family! Check out what your fellow staffers were up to...

Fellow Hoyme Junior Counselor Will Carlson and I went on a Classics trip to Greece! Our class studied the ancient Greeks and Romans. We supplemented our studies with visits to archaeological sites in cities such as Athens, Corinth, Sparta, Olympia and Delphi. Here we have climbed to the top of Wolf Mountain in Athens, which overlooks the entire city! -Alexandra Garrett, Hoyme

Here I am at the Gateway of India in Mumbai, which I felt that over the course of my interim abroad I was able to cross over into a deeper understanding of the culture in India as I visited sacred sites and learned more about the many religions in India. -Hannah Trumm, Hill-Kitt

Over interim I went to Ecuador! The class I took was called "Social and Political Transformation in Ecuador." We got the chance to learn about the new Constitution Ecuador has and how it is affecting the people there, along with what social movements exist and what type of work they are doing to help facilitate change in Ecuador. I got to stay with an amazing family and it was a great opportunity to not only improve my Spanish but to learn first-hand about a different culture and build a relationship that I know will last forever! We got to visit indigenous communities and learn about the indigenous lifestyle and how discrimination has made political action difficult at times for these groups. We also spent time in the Amazon rain forest and did lots of hiking to experience the amazing biodiversity Ecuador has to offer. This trip was one of the best experiences I've ever had and my cultural perspective has really broadened - I definitely plan to go back in the future and live "el buen vivir" in Ecuador! -Lindsay Kubina, Mohn

I stayed very busy with wrestling this interim, and I am having a fantastic year so far! As far as class went it really wasn't my favorite, but I survived and now it's on to 2nd semester! This is of one of my wrestling matches in Skoglund.
-Ryan Timmerman, Larson

Ian Peppel from Ytterboe went to Hawaii with a class...

The Hill Kitt staff cheered on the Ole mens' basketball team as they defeated the Gusties! UM YAH YAH - right Ali?! Ali (our AC) and Charlie Potts were cheering for the Gusties but unfortunately for them, they did not prevail. Oh well...

This is a picture of my JC partner/roommate/best friend, Megan Mcgovern, and me on a boat on the Sea of Galilee. I went to Israel/ Palestine for a religion class called "The historical geography of the holy land of the Bible." We visited many holy sites to learn about Jesus' life and ministry, and we also learned about the political situation and the conflict over land in Israel/Palestine. It was an amazing experience that helped me to better understand the Bible in the context that it was written in. -Amelia Stonesifer, Hoyme

During Interim, I was in India, studying the art of sacred sites, including Hindu, Muslim, Jain, Buddhist, and Christian sites. This picture was taken at the Taj Mahal in Agra. I had a wonderful time, and I miss the food already! -Jenny Nygren

Over interim this year I ventured to Israel/Palestine and Jordan for the Historical Geography of the Bible in the Holy Land program. The trip was led by Jim Hanson (Religion prof.) and Andy Willis (former pastoral intern) and included visits to pretty much every site you would ever want to see in Israel/Palestine! We saw it all: from the Garden of Gethsemane to the Dome of the Rock to Galilee to the abnormal amounts of cats that roamed the Old City of Jerusalem. We also explored some of the historical roots of the political conflict between Israelis and Palestinians and experienced the situation firsthand. The trip was an enlightening, incredible, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I really hope to go back someday! The picture is of my awesome JC partner, Amelia Stonesifer, and myself on the Ramparts with the backdrop of the Old City and the Dome of the Rock. So great! -Megan McGovern, Hoyme

If you have a picture you still want to share...just send it our way! :)

RA/JC Applications Available Now!

2011-01-31T10:47:00.003-06:00

Interested in being an RA or JC during the 2011-12 school year? JC candidates must be in the class of 2013 and RA candidates may be either class of 2012 or 2013.

Check out the Residence Life homepage for more information and applications! Apps are due on Wednesday, February 23, 2011.

Res Life staff serving the world!

2010-11-16T09:52:00.002-06:00

Oles participate in volunteer opportunities all the time, and it's great when our residence life staff gets involved! The Hill Kitt RA/JC staff formed a team to participate in putting together meals for Feed My Starving Children on campus on Friday, November 12.

The Hill Kitt staff raised almost $400 and packed enough meals to feed 152 kids for a year! These specific meals were sent to the Philippines.

Thank you to ALL of the Oles who participated and a special thank you to any and all res life student staff members who helped out!

Program Award Winners!

2010-10-27T15:27:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to the Residence Life Student Staff Program Award winners for Session 1!

There were lots of great programs across campus.... but these programs were selected as some of the best this session.

Best All-Hall Programs of the Session

Amanda Kreun & Megan Makeever (Mohn) - "The Paula Abdul Dance Moves 80s Work-out Video" (Healthy habits)
Anna Fulton, Andrew Belsaas & Dan Anderson (Ellingson) - "Carniv-ELL!"
Erik Burton, Lauren Bartelt & John Broadway (Ellingson) - "Thirsty Thursday" alcohol education program.

Best Bulletin Boards of the Session

Eliza Snortland (Larson) - "Northfield Flooding information and resources"
Maria Ward & Jackie Scott (Kildahl) - "What does Julia Child have to do with espionage?"
Kayla Gronli & Dana Goetsch (Hill Kitt) - "The Human Puzzle"

Best Elective Programs of the Session

Andrew Belsaas & Zac Rakke (Ellingson) - "Sexual Health Scavenger Hunt"

Sophomore Leadership Institute

2010-10-12T08:41:00.006-05:00

The Sophomore Leadership Institute started at St.Olaf this fall and the group has had a great first month of meetings!

The Sophomore Leadership Institute - or "SLI" - is a group of 16 sophomores interested in developing and enhancing leadership skills and talking about issues around student leadership. The group meets formally about once a month.

September's meeting was focused on defining leadership and talking about what it means to be a sophomore and a student leader at St.Olaf. October will be devoted to working with the Center for Experiential Learning on personality traits of leaders, as well as exploring civic engagement possibilities and ways to incorporate others sophomores into what the group is doing.

The 2010 (and first EVER) Sophomore Leadership Institute group...

Front row (L to R): Lauren Kramer, Patricia Garcia, Patrick Faunillan, Kari Swanson, Serena Xiong, Rachel Pauley.

Middle row (L to R): Elizabeth Harness, Mackenzie Wolter, Hannah Burson, Alisha Kasparec, Kong Vang, Sarah Moon.

Back row (L to R): Ashley Menzel, Ben Olsen.

Not pictured: Emily King and Maia Selkow.

Area Coordinator Spotlight!

2010-09-16T16:29:00.000-05:00

Jessica Pena

Hometown: I grew up in Rochester Minnesota but most recently would call my hometown in West Olive, Michigan
Undergraduate institution: I graduated from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan with a Major in Sociology and minor in Social Work.
Grad institution (and program): I attended the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, Wisconsin. I received a Master's of Science Education in Professional Counseling and Student Affairs and Higher Education.
Organizations I was/am involved with include… American Counseling Association, Association of Christians in Student Development.
Favorite places to visit: My parents' cabin in Northern Minnesota.
Favorite food: Italian and Mexican.
The reason I work in res life is…I am very passionate about working with college students and seeing them in all aspects of their lives and watching them grow emotionally, academically, physically, and spiritually as Freshmen coming in and then seeing how they are when they leave as Seniors.
My favorite thing about St. Olaf is….The community of St. Olaf and how nice everyone has been to my husband and I since arriving.
What do I do in my free time: I like being outdoors going on walks, rollerblading, kayaking on a lake...but i also enjoy a good movie night as well.
One thing students should know about me…I am spontaneous

Jessica is starting her first year at St. Olaf. She's the Area Coordinator in Ellingson & Larson Halls. She lives in Ellingson with her husband Moses. Jessica has office hours in both Ellingson & Larson. You can reach her at pena@stolaf.edu or 507-581-2078.

Area Coordinator Spotlight!

2010-09-15T16:28:00.000-05:00

Glen Lloyd

Hometown: Alexandria, Virginia
Undergraduate institution: Catawba College (in North Carolina), majored in Communication Arts
Grad institution (and program): Bethel University, currently in a master's degree program in Organizational Leadership.
Organizations I am involved with include… St. Olaf Football (assistant coach), noon basketball, Young Life
Favorite places to visit: Charleston, South Carolina
Favorite food: Southern cooking/comfort food
The reason I work in res life is…to be a resource to residents to build a healthy, holistic life.
My favorite thing about St. Olaf is….the spirit behind UM YA YA.
What do I do in my free time: I watch movies and read John Grisham novels.
One thing students should know about me…relationships are best built around meals together.

Glen is starting his fourth year at St. Olaf and his first in Residence Life. He's the Area Coordinator in Mellby & Hoyme Halls and is an assistant football coach. He lives in Mellby. Ross has office hours in both Mellby & Hoyme... you can reach him at lloyd@stolaf.edu or 507-581-1934.

Area Coordinator Spotlight!

2010-09-14T14:00:00.000-05:00

Ross Jungers

Hometown: Prior Lake, MN
Undergraduate institution: University of Kansas (Major: Pschology, Minor: Leadership Studies).
Grad institution (and program): University of Kansas (Higher Education Administration).
Organizations I was involved with include… University Mascot, Housing, Cross Country, Chi Alpha.
Favorite places to visit: Minnesota Northshore (Duluth, Grand Marais, etc.)
Favorite food: Spaghetti.
The reason I work in res life is…I enjoy working with and for students.
My favorite thing about St. Olaf is….Turkey burger day in the Caf.
What do I do in my free time: Run, play games with Linnea, the dishes and laundry.
One thing students should know about me…The most played song on my iPod is - "Take your Mama" by the Scissor Sisters.

Ross is starting his fifth year at St. Olaf. He's the Area Coordinator in Kildahl & Rand Halls. He lives in Kildahl with his wife Anna and daughter Linnea. Ross has office hours in both Kildahl & Rand. You can reach him at jungers@stolaf.edu or 507-581-1914.

Be a part of your HALL COUNCIL!

2010-09-08T12:46:00.003-05:00

Interested in taking on a leadership position in your residence hall? Hall Council is a great way to do it!

Check out www.oleville.com to find the link to "Election Central." You'll find information about positions, applications and deadlines.

All Hall Council applications will be due (submitted online) by 12:00 p.m. (noon) on Monday, September 20th.

Positions include President, Vice President, Treasurer, Council Recorder, Hall Senator and - in first-year halls only - the Environmental Representative. Each corridor/floor in each hall will also need representatives, so talk to your RA or JC if you are interested in that position.

Look for publicity and more information online and on the walls in your residence hall. You can also ask your Area Coordinator for more information. We look forward to seeing your application soon!

Your 2010-11 Residence Life Staff!

2010-09-03T14:34:00.004-05:00

Here's the 2010-11 Res Life staff! You can follow us on Twitter (@StOlafResLife) or find our page on Facebook (find the group called "St. Olaf College Residence Life").

Area Coordinator Spotlight!

2010-08-20T09:03:00.008-05:00

Ali Wobschall

Hometown: Medina, MN
Undergraduate institution: Gustavus Adolphus College, communication studies & religion majors
Grad institution (and program): University of St. Thomas. Counseling Psychology.
Organizations I was/am involved with include… basketball, track, Wellness/Peer Education, Sexual Assault Advocates
Favorite places to visit: Home!
Favorite food: Fruit
The reason I work in res life is…I love the college atmosphere and I think there's something really neat about the experience of living with others in a common place.
My favorite thing about St. Olaf is….the pride students and faculty have about being Oles!
What do I do in my free time: run, play basketball, visit family, organize things, watch the Vikings!
One thing students should know about me…Sundays are for football. :)

This is Ali's first year at St. Olaf. She's the Area Coordinator in Ytterboe & Hill Kitt. She lives in Ytterboe Hall with her husband Mike and has office hours in both Ytterboe & Hill Kitt. You can reach her at wobschal@stolaf.edu or 507-581-4555.

Area Coordinator Spotlight!

2010-08-20T08:43:00.013-05:00

Amanda McConnell

Hometown: Grinnell, Iowa
Undergraduate institution: Hope College, Intercultural Studies major
Grad institution (and program): University of Maryland, College Park. College Student Personnel
Organizations I was/am involved with include…Omicron Delta Kappa, ACPA, NASPA. At U of Maryland: Ten Man/Ten Woman Plan (A Sexual Assault Prevention Program). At Hope College: Phelps Scholars Living-Learning Program, Hope's Asian Perspective Association, Black Student Union, International
Favorite places to visit: Tokyo, Japan; Seoul, South Korea; New Zealand; Melbourne, Australia; anywhere my friends live!
Favorite food: Sushi, Korean, or Thai!
The reason I work in res life is…I love working with students and helping them grow during college.
My favorite thing about St. Olaf is….the great sense of community!!!
What do I do in my free time: watch tv/movies
One thing students should know about me…I am very passionate about Social Justice.

This is Amanda's first year at St. Olaf. She's the Area Coordinator in Thorson and Mohn. She lives in Thorson Hall and has office hours in both buildings. You can reach her at mcconnel@stolaf.edu or 507-581-2090.

Training starts soon!

2010-08-20T08:36:00.004-05:00

It's almost time for residence life student staff training to start! Student Hall Coordinators move in on Tuesday, August 24; Senior RAs move in on Friday, August 27; RAs/JCs move in and start training on Saturday, August 28!

Res Life student staff training - a.k.a. "Week Zero" - is a busy, fun and intense week of training to prepare student staff to do great things in their residence halls.

The Area Coordinators have been preparing for your arrival, too! Here they are...

From left to right: Ross Jungers (Kildahl/Rand), Jessica Pena (Ellingson/Larson), Ali Wobschall (Ytterboe/Hill Kitt), Glen Lloyd (Mellby/Hoyme) and Amanda McConnell (Thorson/Mohn).

Each Area Coordinator will be featured on this blog in the next couple weeks. Just a little background information to help you get to know them!

SUMMER!

2010-06-01T16:08:00.002-05:00

It's June 1 at St. Olaf (and pretty much everywhere else, I guess), which means it's officially SUMMER on campus.

Graduation was held on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon and Memorial Day was busy as several hundred Oles packed their belongings and said goodbye.

Mohn (the summer hall) opens today and the rest of the halls clear out for a bit until summer conferences/programs show up.

The Res Life blog will likely take an extended hiatus, but check back this summer for some updates about the fall.

Have a safe, happy and relaxing summer!

InterHall Council 2009-10

2010-04-30T19:06:00.002-05:00

Here's your St. Olaf College InterHall Council. IHC is made up of the Hall Council Presidents in the 10 residence halls. The group meets weekly to plan campus-wide events and to share info and ideas from their halls. The picture above is the 2009-10 IHC group.

They are:

Amy Kraushaar (IHC Chair)

Chelsea Ray (Thorson HC President)

Caryn McKinney (Ellingson HC President)

Hannah Trumm & Bryan Wells (Mohn HC co-Presidents)

Ben Keisling (Kildahl HC President)

Robert Pieh & Stephen Noyes (Rand HC co-Presidents)

Tim Collins (Ytterboe HC President)

Richard Aviles (Hoyme HC President)

Stanford Scriven (Mellby HC President)

Paul Ranum (Larson HC President)

Will Carlson (Hill Kitt HC President)

They did a lot of work this year to bring you some great programs (such as Casino Night and the Hunt for the Pot of Gold). Thank you, IHC!

2010-04-16T15:39:00.004-05:00

Suite Room Showcase!

InterHall Council is once again sponsoring the Suite Room Showcase event on campus. The winners from each hall have already been selected, and the top 20 rooms (2 from each hall) are now in the campus-wide contest!

IHC (your hall council presidents) will walk around campus and judge rooms on Sunday, April 18, 2010 from 12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. During the judging time, all St. Olaf students are encouraged to wander around and check out some cool rooms. You might be wondering exactly where you want to live - and ROOM DRAW is coming up soon! This event is a great way to see what rooms in all residence halls look like and to maybe get some creative decorating ideas.

Get out and enjoy the spring weather with a walk around campus and check out some cool rooms!

There will be small pink slips of paper at each front desk with a full list of participating rooms. Feel free to stop by during the two-hour judging period listed above to check 'em out.

The rooms are....

Thorson 115 and 414

Ellingson 106 and 206

Mohn 105 and 814

Kildahl 110 and 117

Rand 246 and 345/346

Hoyme 202 and 422

Mellby 301 and 410

Larson 609 and 205* (note: this is a change from the posters and small pink slips!)

Hilleboe 211 and Kittelsby 256

Ytterboe 117C and 264B

Have fun and good luck to the contestants!

Update: Hunt for the Pot of Gold!

2010-03-16T16:06:00.000-05:00

The Pot of Gold has been found!!!!

Congratulations to Josef Lorentz and Shahid Jaffer! The Pot of Gold was hidden in the vicinity of the wind turbine. Congrats to Josef and Shahid for their excellent detective work...

Thank you to everyone who participated!

Sincerely,

The InterHall Council (your Hall Council Presidents...)

Thank your Hall Council!

2010-03-16T10:53:00.000-05:00

Yesterday (Monday, March 15, 2010) was

HALL COUNCIL APPRECIATION DAY!

Say "thank you" to your corridor/floor representative and your executive board. Hall Councils work hard to put on fun events in the residence halls. The holiday gift? That's Hall Council. Food for Finals? That's Hall Council.

While the official Appreciation Day was yesterday, we ALWAYS appreciate the hard work that the councils do!

Hunt for the Pot of Gold! Clue #2

2010-03-16T10:00:00.002-05:00

The Hunt for the Pot of Gold continues! Here is the clue for today...

Clue #2:

I'm a two-headed beast

spanning large chunks of land

I sport nine appendages

on each of my hands

between the fourth and the fifth

in a cluster of green

will be one step closer

to your PS3

*Winner must be a current St. Olaf student!*

If you find the Pot of Gold, contact Charlie in the res life office at x3011 or email potts@stolaf.edu.

Res Life Headlines

2010-03-15T10:52:00.003-05:00

Staff in the News!

Our SHCs, SRAs, RAs, JCs, BAs, etc. do more than just work for us – they make news! Here are just some of the ways that our staff shows their awesome-ness (click on the links for the article and more information):

Larson SHC John Schantzen wins shot put title at NCAA Indoor Championships.
Mohn JC Mat Deram and team win at the annual Konhauser Problemfest.
Kittelsby JC Mara Fink and Hoyme JC Bryce Danielson featured in an article about the Rube Goldberg Team’s quest for victory. They probably honed their skills during the group process of their JC interview last year.
Kildahl BA Eric Sheforgen, Ellingson BA Nathan Meyer, and Thorson BA Sam Grasso all running for SGA positions.

Do you have other news items to share about res life staff members? Let us know! Our eagle eyes can only catch so much in the daily news, so be sure to send a note and a link to anything you want the Res Life Blog readers to know about our amazing staff!

Hunt for the Pot of Gold! Clue #1

2010-03-15T09:56:00.008-05:00

Hey Oles!

I hope you all have heard by now about InterHall Council's "Hunt for the Pot of Gold." We're celebrating St. Patrick's Day with a little game... follow the clues to find a Pot of Gold* (contains no actual gold - but looks like it!) hidden somewhere on campus. The Pot of Gold will be hidden somewhere accessible to all students any time of day.

The prize for finding the Pot of Gold? A PLAYSTATION 3!!! How awesome is that?!?

Clues will be posted in Buntrock Commons and on this blog. Check the blog each day at 10:00 a.m. for the new clue!

Clue #1:

You probably pass me at least once a day

but whether you take notice, that I can't say

I'm helpful and useful and right on the way

A focal point of news, and I'm here to stay

GOOD JOB, YOU!

2010-02-25T06:00:00.000-06:00

HAPPY STUDENT STAFF APPRECIATION DAY!

Thursday, February 25, 2010 is "Student Staff Appreciation Day." This day is intended to recognize the hard work that the Resident Assistants and Junior Counselors do in the residence halls.

Your work is appreciated all the time, but we felt it was important to set aside a day just to say THANK YOU!

Keep up the good work!

Thinking about the future...

2010-02-08T19:38:00.003-06:00

Dear Res Life Blog Readers,

This is Adam, the Area Coordinator in Ellingson & Larson. For some of you the road ahead after your time here as St. Olaf is clear. Some of you may still be exploring your interests and wondering about your future. The following information is to help you to consider a career in college student affairs. The information you will find below has been collected from several professional organizations that represent student affairs professionals.

Student affairs is a relatively young profession. It has evolved over the past 100 years into a field that is dedicated to the holistic education of students and is committed to helping students develop into educated, responsible people ready to enter into the professional field. "Student affairs" is represented by a wide range of roles and departments at colleges and universities, which includes - but is not limited to: Dean Of Students Offices, Student Activities, Academic Advising, Academic Student Support, Trio, SSS, Upward Bound, Registrars Offices, Admissions Offices, Leadership and Service Offices, Multicultural Offices, Women’s Centers, LGBT Centers, and Residence Life. There are so many areas in which student affairs play a vital role to the college experience for all students. If you are interested in having a career that impacts the lives of others and a career that is driven by a passion to educate, then we encourage you to learn more about the student affairs profession. If you have any questions please feel free to seek out any of us in the Residence Life Department.

(The following information can also be viewed at the homepage for the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators...)

NASPA: Consider a Career in Student Affairs

If you answer yes to any of these questions, then you may want to consider a career in student affairs.

Would you like to work on a college campus?
Do you enjoy being a part of a dynamic and enriching environment?
Are you interested in making a difference in the lives of college students?
Are you committed to creating environments of learning, diversity, and tolerance for all people?

Who are Student Affairs Professionals? They work in a variety of settings on college and university campuses, from financial aid, orientation, and residence life to athletics, international services, and student activities. They provide services and develop programs that affect all aspects of students' lives inside and outside of the classroom. Some of the things student affairs professionals do in their day-to-day jobs include: enhancing student learning; helping students make academic and career decisions; mentoring students and helping them develop their leadership skills; and meeting students' needs by providing a range of housing, dining, health services, and recreational facilities.

If you like working in a dynamic, exciting, and enriching environment; are interested in making a difference in the lives of college student; and enjoy intellectual challenge, then you are a good candidate for a career in student affairs. Other qualities useful in student affairs work include creativity, motivation, leadership, and the abilities to work well both individually and in groups, to multi-task, to organize and coordinate work efficiently, and to be an effective communicator. You may work on developing many of these qualities during your undergraduate years.

You will also need some special skills – in advising/counseling, human development, administration, and management, for example – to enter the student affairs profession. Training in these skills will be a part of your graduate study.

Steps to Exploring a Career in Student Affairs

If the idea of a career in student affairs appeals to you, you can take these steps to learn more about the profession:

Talk to student affairs professionals at your school, a nearby college or your alma mater. Talk to the senior student affairs officer, usually known as the Dean of Students or the Vice President for Student Affairs. Or talk with another student affairs professional on campus – perhaps the director of orientation, the coordinator of student activities, or staff in residence life. You may want to start with a brief informational interview to learn more about what they do or set up a day of job shadowing. If you're not sure how to get started with this idea, the career services office on campus will be able to help. Also, if you are still a student or working on a campus, go a step farther and establish a mentoring relationship with one of the professionals that you talk to. Sample Informational Interview Questions
If you are a student, you have a great opportunity to explore your potential workplace. Take advantage of every chance you can to learn how your college works and develop your skills. If you are a student, run for an office in student government or in a student organization; serve on a judicial board; be a tour guide, orientation leader, resident assistant, or peer educator; or join a student organization. If you are not sure where to start, ask a member of the student activities staff.
Work in a student affairs office. Ask about internships, jobs, and volunteer opportunities in student affairs offices on campus. Consider possibilities during the summer as well as during the school year. You'll get hands-on experience and have a chance to interact with professionals in the field.
If your college offers an undergraduate class geared toward learning more about student affairs (or related paraprofessional or leadership classes), sign up. Often, these classes are taught by student affairs professionals and can help you learn more about your interests and preferences, as well as what it is like to work on a college campus.
Join a student affairs professional association. Undergraduate students can become a member of NASPA for $25 a year. Benefits include member discounts, access to publications and online resources, and a range of professional development opportunities (including regional/national conferences and workshops).
Explore programs designed to help you learn more about careers in student affairs and higher education. These include the NASPA Undergraduate Fellows Program, targeted toward increasing the number of ethnic minority, LGBT, and persons with disabilities in student affairs; the National Orientation Directors Association's (NODA) internship program; and the Association of College and University Housing Officers-International's (ACUHO-I) STARS College and Housing Internship programs. Learn more about graduate study. You'll find graduate programs in student affairs (also known as "college student personnel") and higher education at colleges and universities across the country. A helpful resource is NASPA's comprehensive online Directory of Graduate Programs. Once you've identified programs that you're interested in, call, write, or e-mail them to request more information. Ask for admissions, curriculum, and financial aid information, as well as information about possible assistantships and fellowships. If possible, visit the campus, meet with current students and faculty in the program, and talk with recent graduates.

Benefits of a Career in Student Affairs

The personal rewards of a career in student affairs are numerous. Here are just a few:

The Ability to Make a Difference

As a student affairs practitioner, you will have the opportunity to help students during a critical time in their development. You'll see the results of your work in the lives of individuals and the community, and build mentoring relationships with students that can last a lifetime.

A Wide Range of Choices

Student affairs offers a broad range of career possibilities. It also attracts people with many different interests. If you like business or technology, for example, you might consider a career in financial aid or admissions. If you've been active in student government or greek life, you might enjoy coordinating student activities. Or, if you like to study human behavior, career counseling or residence life might be right for you.

You can consider a career in student affairs no matter what your undergraduate major is or was. Many professionals who enter the field have a background in psychology, sociology, education, or human development. But having a major in another field – from political science to art to physics – is also useful when working in an academic setting.

Your possibilities expand even more when you consider the variety of workplaces available to you as a student affairs professional. You can choose a campus based on its geographic location, its student population, or any other requirement that's important to your life plans and career goals. All colleges and universities – large or small, public or private, two-year or four-year, rural or urban – need professionals trained in student affairs.

An Exciting Work Environment

Student affairs professionals rarely have a boring day at the office. They perform many different types of tasks – advising groups, chairing meetings, coordinating events, overseeing budgets, and working with a range of students, staff, and faculty. The campus environment continually offers new challenges and requires new strategies to deal with them. On top of that, working with students generates its own kind of energy and excitement.

Access to the Profession

There are numerous entry-level positions available each year in the nation's 4,000+ colleges and universities. Because of the need for student affairs professionals on campus, your services will be in demand.

Potential for Advancement

A master's degree in college student affairs is your ticket to enter the profession. Through assistantships and internships, you'll have the opportunity to gain valuable experience while you attend graduate school.

Once you enter the profession, the possibilities for career growth are limitless. New student affairs professionals who demonstrate talent can move quickly from entry level positions to roles of increasing responsibility.

Some student affairs professionals take advantage of the opportunity to pursue a doctoral degree, which gives them even more options, including becoming a director, a faculty member in a student affairs graduate program, a dean of students, or even a vice president for student affairs.

Fringe Benefits

Colleges and universities often offer an attractive benefits package. One of the greatest advantages is the opportunity for additional education – some schools provide tuition remission for employees and their family members. Student affairs professionals also enjoy comprehensive medical benefits, retirement plans, generous vacation time, and access to all of the cultural, recreational, and social opportunities that a college campus has to offer.

Additional Websites for Resources:

www.studentaffairs.com

www.naspa.org

The American College Personnel Association (www.myacpa.org)

Search for Graduate School Programs at:

http://www.naspa.org/career/gradprograms/default.cfm

http://www2.myacpa.org/comm/profprep/directory/

www.gradschools.com

IHC's Casino Night

2010-01-27T11:01:00.003-06:00

The St. Olaf InterHall Council held the 2nd Annual "Casino Night" on Friday, January 22, 2010. InterHall Council (IHC) is a representative group of the campus's hall councils. Each Hall Council President is on IHC and meets weekly to discuss hall council and residence hall issues as well as plan campus-wide events.

Over 550 Oles attended the free Casino Night event. Students "gambled" with chips they received at the door - the more chips they won, the more raffle tickets they could get. Prizes were raffled off during the evening... great items like iPod shuffles, Snuggies, residence hall room accessories and even a 26" Vizio HD television!

Faculty, staff and some students served as dealers. Here's Kevin Rusk from Admissions intensely dealing a hand of blackjack:
Ben Wilson, a Resident Assistant in Mellby and a former Hall Council President,
The event started at 7:30 p.m. and by 8:00 p.m. the ballrooms were getting full...
In addition to poker and blackjack, students could choose to play "less risky" games like Bingo and Super Smash Brothers...
Students exchange chips for raffle tickets...
The event was a HUGE success. IHC and the hall councils did a great job planning and organizing this event. Two years in a row with a great turn-out... next year should be even better!

Some words of wisdom...

2010-01-14T15:06:00.012-06:00

Are you an RA or JC who is considering coming back to staff next year? Returning as a Senior Resident Assistant or a Student Hall Coordinator can be a fun and rewarding experience. Your AC has passed out (or will give you) a sheet titled "Should I apply to be an SRA or SHC?" that includes some questions that may help you think through your options.

SRAs and SHCs do the same work that an RA or JC does, but they have some added responsibilities in the hall and with the staff. You may be working with an SRA or SHC now - if so, take a few minutes to ask them about their experience to see if it's something you'd like to pursue. Applications are available on the Residence Life website now and are due by noon on Wednesday, February 24, 2010.

==================================================================

The St. Olaf Residence Life Blog recently sat down with two current Student Hall Coordinators - Andrew Fjerstad (from Hoyme) and Grace Wilkinson (from Rand) to find out their thoughts on their decision to return to staff this year.
Blog: Why did you apply to be a returning staff member?
AF: I was a last-minute applicant. I realized Res Life was a really big part of my life and I really appreciated being able to work in an environment with friends... It added a little more structure and it added a little more fun [to my life].
GW: [Being on staff] was something I really enjoyed.... not only living in a community but being able to build that community. I knew I probably wouldn't live near my friends but I knew I'd still have the opportunity to spend time with them and be [an SHC].

Blog: What have been the challenges of being a returning staff member?
GW: The biggest challenge in the beginning (during Week One especially) is that you need to change your mind-set that it's NOT going to be last year.
AF: As one of only two returners on staff in Hoyme (along with Ajay - who was a JC for spring semester 2009), I got so many questions [from new JCs] at the start of the year. A lot of those questions were things that you just sort of figure out by doing it, so especially during training I was a resource for new staff and letting them know everything will work out and it will be great!
GW: Rand is half returners and half new staff, which has been great. We pair up when we do new things and having that experience and knowledge of what works and what doesn't work helps.

Blog: What are the biggest differences between being an RA/JC and being an SRA/SHC?
AF: Added responsibility. Also, you have to make sure there's more of a staff dynamic that's being fostered. It's easy to compartmentalize and be better friends with some staff members and not with others, but as the SHC or SRA you are the facilitator, so you have to step into that role of "let's include everyone." It's a lot more fun that way because you get to set the tone.

Blog: What advice do you have for those thinking about applying to be an SRA or SHC?
AF: Even if you just have the slightest inkling that you might want to apply, go through with it. I wasn't sure that I wanted to at first, but I'm so glad I did. It's opened up so many doors for me. Things work out - you need to know you will still have your friends. You have to make the effort to see them, but they are still there.
GW: It's important to think it through. Think about what role Res Life plays in your life. Why do you enjoy it? What do you find challenging? What will be harder about it next year?
AF: Another thing to do is talk to your AC about it. They can help you figure out your interests. Talk to Charlie, talk to Pamela, just talk about the position with other people. I think that's why some people [don't apply] is that they don't know what is expected of them [as a returner], so just getting those expectations understood now is good. Go to the informational session.
Blog: How do you balance your time as a returning staff member?
AF: My biggest weakness is time management. At the beginning it was difficult to get adjusted, but it's actually helped me align myself.
GW: I needed to remind myself of the RA duties that come along with the SHC duties. I needed to remember to plan those into my week.

Blog: What opportunities have you had as an SRA/SHC that you've really enjoyed?
AF: I really like making the duty schedule. It's like a puzzle and I really like puzzles!
GW: I like being part of hall council and getting the RAs involved with hall council and the hall council involved with what the RAs are doing.
AF: I really appreciate hall council. It's fun to see "the other side" of the dorm. You get to know a lot of people that you otherwise wouldn't get to know.

Blog: What was the transition like to a new supervisor?
GW: I was a little apprehensive to change because I was very used to one style. But I was really really excited to see how another AC does things and at the same time bring in the way I've done things before. [Switching supervisors] really helped me change my mindset that this year wasn't going to be exactly the same as last year.
AF: It's interesting to see different managing styles and you can learn so much from any of the ACs about yourself and how to deal with things - it's been great.

Blog: Any other words of wisdom?
AF: Do it! Apply. It's so rewarding. The reward outweighs the risk.
GW: [Being a returner] been a fantastic experience. The added responsibility, the apartment [for SHCs]. I'm really glad I'm here enjoying my last [semester] at St. Olaf with this experience.

===================================================================

Andrew and Grace thought talking to SRAs and SHCs about the job was very helpful in their decision-making process when they first considered applying. They encourage you to talk with some current returners to find out the pros and cons of doing this job a second time. Below is a list of current SRAs and SHCs. Send them a note, stop them in Buntrock, call 'em up - if you are contemplating the application, take a few minutes to discuss it with someone who is doing the job now and find out what advice they have. I look forward to seeing your application by February 24th!

Current SHCs:
John Schantzen (Larson)
Holly Samuelson (Hill Kitt)
Andrew Fjerstad (Hoyme)
Grace Wilkinson (Rand)
Emily McNee (Thorson)
Kate Helmich (Mohn)

Current SRAs:
Jonathan Woolums (Hill Kitt)
Michael Lenz (Larson)
Pa Houa Xiong (Mellby)
Kyle Glanton (Mohn)
Emma Johanson (Mohn)
Erin Bonawitz (Rand)
Bryce Kennedy (Rand)
Jared Fisher (Thorson)
Elizabeth Mitchell (Thorson)
Aline Skogstoe (Ytterboe)
Ben Brown (Ytterboe)

Student Staff Conference!

2010-01-11T10:30:00.000-06:00

The Residence Life professional staff members (the five ACs, Pamela and Charlie) are members of a group called the Associated Twin Cities College Housing Administrators (or "ATCCHA").

Each year, ATCCHA sponsors a day-long conference for student staff members from all over the metro area. This conference brings together students from several campuses to share ideas, talk about the challenges and rewards of being a staff member, and to have some fun. This is really a great event and it's an opportunity to develop some leadership skills that will help you be an even better RA or JC. (This year it's titled an "RA Conference," but it's for ALL student staff members!)

This year's conference is on Saturday, February 6, 2010. This is at the very end of interim break, just before second semester starts. We'll pay your registration fee and will organize transportation.

If you are thinking of applying to be an SHC or SRA for 2010-11, I highly encourage you to attend if you are able! A couple of our returning staff this year attended last February and had a great time!

Please send me an email to let me know if you are interested (email potts@stolaf.edu). The registration is due very soon, so I'll be in touch again with a reminder and to get a final list of those interested in attending. Let me know if you have any questions, or talk to your AC about it. Please let me know if you want to attend by contacting me by Wednesday, January 13 (that's in two days...)

Holiday Party Pictures!

2009-12-11T14:45:00.000-06:00

And the winner is...

2009-12-11T13:22:00.001-06:00

Friday Trivia is over for the week.

There are indeed 10 ovens in Ytterboe. Two on each floor (ground - 3rd), one in the main lounge kitchen and one in AC Laura's apartment.

Congrats to Francine Boylan, Abby Kirchman, Brett Morris, Chelsea Ray and Rie Uchida for getting the answer correct. Those five names were put on slips of paper and the winner was drawn out of a cup...

BRETT MORRIS is the winner of the TEN Totino's Party Pizzas for his corridor! That is going to be one impressive corridor event.

Friday Trivia for December 11

2009-12-10T11:00:00.000-06:00

It's time for Friday Trivia once again!

The rules are changing a bit this week. I will collect the names of the first FIVE people who put the correct answer in the comment box (not via email - the answer must be in the comment section of the blog entry) and I'll draw a winner from that group. Everyone is eligible - student staff, hall council members, random blog readers... anyone!

The question is.....

How many OVENS are there in Ytterboe Hall?

This time the prize is 10 (that's right, TEN) Totino's Party Pizzas to share with your floor/corridor and friends and neighbors. And you have to use an OVEN to make them (but not necessarily in Ytterboe).

Hall Council Programming Awards for November!

2009-12-07T17:25:00.001-06:00

The Residence Life office is now recognizing outstanding Hall Council programs! Our 10 Hall Councils put a lot of energy and effort into their programs each month and we decided it was time that we start recognizing what they do a little more formally.

We've created three awards that will be given each month. The first is "The People's Choice Award," which will be given to a program that has a high level of participation. The "Creativity Award" goes to the program that tries something new or different to get people to show up and participate. Finally, the "Program of the Month" award is for the best all-around program.

There were a lot of really good events in November - the choices were difficult! Congratulations to the following Hall Councils for their great programs in November...

"The People's Choice Award" goes to the Mellby Hall Council for the "Mellby Murder Mystery" featuring Captain Lunch. About 120 people were in attendance throughout the night.

"Creative Program of the Month" goes to the Rand Hall Council for their make-your-own dessert pizza event that coincided with the RA's "de-stressor" event.

"Program of the Month" goes to the Kildahl Hall Council for their "Kildahl Kabaret," a talent show for residents. The program was well-received, well-planned and well-organized.

Thanks to all of the councils for their hard work in November!

Friday Trivia!

2009-12-03T12:10:00.000-06:00

Res Life's FRIDAY TRIVIA is here again!

This week's prize is a $5 gift certificate to The Pause.

This week's question: When was the first Christmas Festival concert held?

Submit your answer in the comments section below. The first correct response wins! (Be sure to leave your name so I can contact you about your prize!)

Good luck!

Residence Life Holiday Party!

2009-12-03T11:50:00.000-06:00

Attention Res Life Student Staff:

The Residence Life Holiday Party will held from 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 10, 2009 in the Ytterboe lounge. Take a break from the hustle and bustle of December and hang out with your staff friends... Feel free to just drop in or stay as long as you'd like.

We'll have COOKIES to decorate, GAMES to play, some CRAFTS, some HOT CHOCOLATE and PUNCH and even some PRIZES*!!!

*Sign up at the door for prizes - we'll do a drawing each half hour...

We look forward to seeing you there!

Session 2 Programming Award Winners

2009-11-23T17:00:00.000-06:00

Thank you all for another great session of programming in the halls! There were some great events going on and we greatly appreciate your efforts.

The ACs and SHCs nominated some programs to be considered for programming awards this session. After some tough deliberation, the following were chosen...

Outstanding Bulletin Boards
Mary Elizabeth Detweiler (Rand) - "Celebrate GLBT History Month"
Sarah Rogotzke & Natalee McNeff (Hill Kitt) - "What Your Halloween Costume Says About You"

Outstanding Elective Programs
Joseph Kemper (Mellby) - "Fire Juggling"
Ellie Kale (Thorson) - "Knitting Lessons"
Audrey Webb, Erin Thieszen, Chris Leslie, Hal Halvorson, Gabe Rysdahl, Kevin Farrar (Ellingson) - "Salsa Dancing"

Outstanding All-Hall Programs
Francine Boylan & Rie Uchida (Ytterboe) - "Breast Cancer Awareness BINGO"
The Ellingson JC staff - "Kegger in the Lounge (Alcohol Education)"

Congratulations to all the winners! You'll receive your shiny, beautiful certificate very soon. Again, thank you to ALL staff members for the work you put into another great programming session.

Friday Trivia Answer

2009-11-20T21:44:00.001-06:00

Congratulations to Chelsea Ray (former Hoyme JC and current Hall Council President in Thorson) for her correct answer. Nice work, Nancy Drew!

The first Junior Counselors were around in 1938. I even had that one confirmed by Jeff Sauve, the college archivist. Whether you are a JC or an RA, you are part of a long, rich history of talented individuals being leaders in our residence halls.

Chelsea wins the $5 gift certificate to The Pause.

Stay tuned for future trivia! It might be some more history, might be a scavenger hunt... all I know is that it will be FUN and there will be some great PRIZES!

Friday Trivia!

2009-11-20T14:31:00.000-06:00

Res Life's FRIDAY TRIVIA is here! I can't promise this will happen EVERY Friday, but watch for a trivia question on Fridays for your chance to win a cool prize.

This week's prize is a $5 gift certificate to The Pause.

This week's question: What was the first year that St. Olaf had Junior Counselors?

Submit your answer in the comments section below. The first correct response wins! (Be sure to leave your name so I can contact you about your prize!)

Good luck!

Winter/Holiday Programming Ideas

2009-11-20T12:41:00.000-06:00

Hello and Season’s Greetings from Laura, the Area Coordinator for Hill Kitt & Ytterboe. I hope that this week is finding you relatively stress-free and excited for Session 3, which will prove to be very busy and exciting.

Well, it has happened. I saw my first Christmas commercial of the season last week. I suppose it’s that time of year. And now that we have entered Session 3, you may be interested in hearing some winter programming ideas...

Start an intramural team – this is an easy and always popular event.
Decorate cards to send to nursing homes, the children’s hospital, or overseas to the troops.
Global Holiday Party – have a celebration that incorporates December holidays from around the world.
Baking – get your corridor together to make some winter comfort foods like soup, homemade pizzas, or holiday treats.
Adopt-A-Family or Adopt-A-Child – Northfield is in need of people willing to purchase gifts for families and children in need.
Take a group of your residents to a holiday concert or event that is already taking place on The Hill.
Have a door decorating or coloring contest to spruce up your corridor – ask your AC or others to come and be judges.
Students get stressed out as finals approach – encourage them to take a break and attend a stress-relieving program (make stress balls about of balloons and flour; give massages)
As the semester is winding down, seniors in particular might be working feverishly on graduate school applications or preparing for big exams. Invite someone from the CEL to come and talk about resumes and interviewing.
Have a favorite professor come and talk about an interesting topic - it’s a good way to utilize our resources and learn about something neat.
Do a fun winter activity outside (ice skating or skiing, perhaps). Don’t forget that sledding is a prohibited on-campus event (we can't sponsor an event like this...) due to safety concerns we’ve had in the past.
It is never a bad time to do an event focusing on diversity/social justice issues. I happen to have a stack of programs I’ve done in the past. If you are interested in setting up a meeting with me, I would love to share some ideas with you.

Here a few websites that can also provide some good tips on programs, bulletin boards, and a lot more:

Resident Assistant.com, RA Helper.com and Res Life.net

Please remember that you can always talk to any of the ACs for event ideas, as well as sift through the programming reports. There are lots of resources at your fingertips!

Very Sincerely,
Laura

Interim RA/JC applications available now!

2009-10-28T21:43:00.000-05:00

Interested in becoming an RA or JC for the month of January? We hire interim staff members each year to fill in for RAs and JCs who travel abroad.

An Interim RA or JC candidate must be a sophomore, junior or senior. Ask your friends who are RAs/JCs if they are going abroad and need a replacement, or ask your Area Coordinator for more info. For more information about the position - and to find an application - click HERE. Applications are due to your Area Coordinator by November 18, 2009.

Why should you apply?

The job is a fantastic thing to add to your resume - particularly if you are thinking of applying to be an RA or JC for the 2010-11 school year.

You get to meet a new group of people on the floor you serve...

You get to work with a staff of great people!

Being a staff member during interim is FUN!

If you are interested in applying but have some questions, contact your Area Coordinator or stop by the Res Life office and ask for Charlie (or call me - Charlie - at x3011 or email potts@stolaf.edu).

Session 1 Programming Award Winners!

2009-10-21T08:41:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to the 2009-10 Session 1 Programming Award winners!!!

Kelsie Brust, Alica Gerry and Bryce Danielson (Hoyme) for "Extreme Scavenger Hunt."

Michael Lenz (Larson) for his bulletin board "How to save the Earth from an asteroid collision."

Stuart Kyllo (Rand) for his bulletin board "The Mathematics of Candyland."

George Arceneaux & Martin Shedd (Hill Kitt) for their elective program called "All About L.A.R.P."
Ben Brown and Aline Skogstoe (Ytterboe) for their "Star-Gazing" program. Ben was happy to accept the award on behalf of both of them...

Wes Franke (Thorson) for his bulletin board "Ten science experiments that changed the world."

Grace Wilkinson (Rand) also won an award for her bulletin board "What is medical amnesty?," but was not in attendance at the in-service to have her picture taken.

Thank you to ALL staff members for a great programming session. Keep up the great work!

National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week - October 19-23

2009-10-16T12:35:00.000-05:00

Hey, this is Ross, the AC for Kildahl and Rand. I’m writing the first of a series of posts meant to make life as a student staff member a little easier for you as the year progresses. Last year, BORSC focused a lot of information and discussion around the topic of alcohol use by St. Olaf students. There have been many different responses to the student information. For example, you all stuffed magnets in each room explaining the medical amnesty policy. Your professional staff is focusing on student alcohol use through various activities within the Division of Student Life.

The next piece of information important to our response regarding alcohol use on this campus is coming up soon, the 2009 National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week. You’ve probably never heard about it because historically, the St. Olaf is on Fall Break during the week; however, this year’s academic calendar marks a change. The official dates are October 18-24. With Programming Session 2 already in full swing, we’d like you to join over 1000 colleges and universities across the country and help educate your residents about responsible alcohol use, the college’s alcohol policy, and/or other topics relating to alcohol use and misuse. Now, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel when trying to figure out what to do. There’s a plethora of resources already available to help you with programming. Also, it isn’t necessary for every single bulletin board to have an alcohol-related theme. Social activities, emails, bulletin boards, campus activities already happening, all-hall events, etc. are all ways you can help get the message across.

So, as you sit and think about what you’re going to be doing for and with your residents during Session 2, we ask that you take alcohol use into consideration. Make a fancy bulletin board using information from the websites listed below. Work with a couple of your fellow staff members to design an all-hall social on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday night as an alternative for your residents. Hang some signs in your building about what to do if a fellow resident appears to have had too much to drink. Talk with a group of residents about not being “that guy” when out and about during the week. Take a look at the programming ideas in your binder. Bring a Public Safety officer to answer questions at your corridor/floor/stairwell meeting.

Remember, an activity doesn’t have to be labeled as “alcohol awareness” to be informative about alcohol. Sometimes, just a late night alternative is all residents need.

Like I said before, there are TONS of resources to check out for great information regarding alcohol use and misuse.

http://www.thatguy.com/

http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/

http://www.thenetwork.ws/

http://www.gordie.org/Education/Resources.aspx

http://www.goaskalice.com/

http://gbgm-umc.org/mission_programs/cim/hadenough/campuslife/studentstories.html

http://www.gordie.org/Education/Alcohol-Poisoning.aspx

Please remember that students on this campus have been asking for this information. Take it upon yourself to be creative. You could save a life!

The Res Life Blog

2009-10-15T10:28:00.000-05:00

Hello Student Staff Members!

The St. Olaf Res Life blog has been around for awhile now. Over a year, in fact. Unfortunately, we haven't made very good use of it. Until now.

Over the next few months, we'll be posting - on a regular basis - some information that we hope enhances your ability to do your job as a student staff member. The Area Coordinators, Pamela and I will be creating some blog entries about topics and issues that you face on a daily basis. We hope to include some helpful information as well as some solid resources for you to use as you do your job.

I'll send out an email each time that the blog is updated. Visit often, use the info to help you plan programs and events, and feel free to comment on any of the postings. Your input is always welcome, too, so feel free to email me at potts@stolaf.edu with suggestions for posts. And if you have a great idea for a post, write something up and send it my way and I'll get it posted here!

Thanks and enjoy the blog!
-Charlie

Session 1 Programming Award Nominees

2009-10-13T09:30:00.000-05:00

We had a very successful programming session to start the school year. Thank you for all of the work that you put in to making it a great first 5 weeks.

Congratulations to the Session 1 Programming Award Nominees! Your Area Coordinator nominated a program you put on for this award. Winners will be announced at the in-service on Wednesday, October 14 (at 7:00 p.m. in the Valhalla room).

The nominees are....
Best Bulletin Boards
Francine Boylan (Ytterboe) - "Antarctica"
Michael Lenz (Larson) - "How to save the Earth from an asteroid collision"
Hal Halvorson & Chris Leslie (Ell) - "Great study places on campus"
Grace Wilkinson (Rand) - "What is medical amnesty?"
Isaac Lewis-O'Connor & Conner Westby (Hill Kitt) - "Welcome to the 501st"
Jared Fisher (Thorson) - "Things you don't know about Chuck Norris"
Wes Franke (Thorson) - "10 science experiments that changed the world"
Elizabeth Mitchell (Thorson) - "The History of Epidemics"
Ben Henschel (Hoyme) - "Dihydrogen Monoxide"
Zach Hudson & Will Erickson (Hoyme) - "Churches in Northfield"
Stuart Kyllo (Rand) - "The Mathematics of Candyland"
Kevin McCollam & Brian Carroll (Kildahl) - "Study Spots on Campus"

Best Elective Programs
Mohn 8th & 9th floors - sand volleyball & pizza
Kayla Fredericksen & Amy Glasow (Mohn) - dinner & tour of campus
Emma Johanson (Mohn) - card-making
Alex White & Katelyn Larson (Kildahl) - Pinata
George Arceneaux & Martin Shedd (Hill Kitt) - All about L.A.R.P.
Michael Lenz (Larson) - Pizza rolls, conversation and games
Brenna Robinson (Larson) - brownie-making
Rand Hall RAs - All-hall Mac 'n Cheese night
Theresa Rabbass & Sarah Kogler - CEL Study Tips

Best All-Hall Programs
Ben Brown & Aline Skogstoe (Ytterboe) - Star-gazing
Kelsie Brust, Alica Gerry & Bryce Danielson (Hoyme) - Extreme Scavenger Hunt
Kildahl JC staff - "The Office" premiere event

Training!

2009-09-02T08:36:00.000-05:00

I will post some pictures from 2009-10 fall training soon, but here's one to get you started...

The Student Hall Coordinators. From left to right: Holly Samuelson (Hill Kitt), Andrew Fjerstad (Hoyme), Grace Wilkinson (Rand), Kate Helmich (Mohn), Emily McNee (Thorson), John Schantzen (Larson).

Follow St. Olaf Res Life program on Twitter!

2009-08-19T15:56:00.000-05:00

Now you can stay updated on St. Olaf Res Life happenings by following the St. Olaf Residence Life program on Twitter!

Check out twitter.com/StOlafResLife to see what's going on...

Spring Training 2009

2009-04-23T09:35:00.001-05:00

Some pictures from Spring Training 2009...

The Ellingson staff talking about expectations with Kate:

The Hill Kitt staff discussing their choices for their RA staff with Emily:

Ellingson staff members talking about their heroes:

The Hoyme staff hard at work during the RA staff selection exercise:

Mohn and Rand staffs. Chillin'.

The Larson & Mellby staffs talking about Heroes & Villains:

Ellie, Elizabeth, Jared, Wes & Emily discussing the RA selection exercise:

An intense Joe Kemper leading the Mellby & Hoyme staffs in Expectations Archery:

A possibly more intense Will McLean doing the same...

Andrew Fjerstad talking about Heroes & Villains with the Ytterboe staff:

Thank you for a great evening of Spring Training! The Student Hall Coordinators, Area Coordinators, Pamela and I (Charlie) very much look forward to a great year with you!

Have fun in your staff meetings over the next couple of weeks!

Session 4 Programming Awards

2009-04-23T09:26:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to the Programming Award winners for Session 4!

The winners are...
All-Hall Programs:
Kelsey Lantz & Sarah Lebens (Mohn) - "Are you Smarter than a 5th-grader?"
Rand RA Staff - Slinky Races
Ellingson JC Staff - An Evening with Dr. Musil

Elective Programs:
Micah Marty & Laura Schmiedicke (Mellby) - Pinhole Cameras
Tara Ritter & Amy Belfi (Hoyme) - Field Trip to the Science Museum

Bulletin Boards:
Kate Helmich (Mohn) - Where in the World Do Oles Study?
Jared Fisher (Mohn) - Famous RAs
Erik Akervik & Scott Grandt (Kildahl) - Zombie Awareness

Kelsey, Kate & Sarah (from Mohn):

Representatives from the Ellingson staff:
Althea & Erin (from Rand):
Anna (from Ell) and Scott (from Kildahl):

Laura & Micah (from Mellby):

IHC Casino Night

2009-01-27T13:07:00.000-06:00

The InterHall Council (the hall council presidents from each of the 10 halls) organized the 1st Annual IHC Casino Night on Friday, January 23, 2009 in the Sun & Gold Ballrooms.

Nearly 400 Oles attended the event to try their luck at blackjack, poker, bingo, roulette, plinko and Super Smash Brothers. Skill, chance and some good old fashioned luck resulted in lots of people winning prizes. Sweet, sweet prizes like these (yeah, that's a TV):

The ballrooms got a little crowded:

We even had faculty & staff on hand to help deal card games!

Your hall council presidents for Interim 2009:

Kneeling: Tasha Seliski (Mohn) and Colin Hutchins (Rand)
Back row - left to right: Anna Higgins (Hill Kitt), Althea Speaks (Hoyme), Casey Keyes (Kildahl), Ben Wilson (Thorson & Interim IHC Chair), Laura Smith (Hill Kitt), Olaf Samuelson (Larson), Joe Kemper (Mellby), Charlie Potts (blog author & res life staff member), Kai Redalen (Ytterboe) and Bryan Wells (Ellingson).

Thanks to all of the faculty & staff who volunteered their time to help and thank you to the hall councils who all pitched in to decorate and organize this great event. Congratulations!

I am... Residence Life

2009-01-15T13:38:00.000-06:00

Hard to believe that we are already half way through Interim. Time to be thinking about Student Staff Selection for 2009-2010! RA and JC applications are now available here. Current staff members interested in returning to staff next year should look for SRA and SHC applications here.

If you have any nominations for any of the student staff positions, please send me an email at potts@stolaf.edu and let me know! I'll gladly contact any and all nominees to encourage them to apply!

Session 3 Programming Award Winners!

2009-01-15T13:37:00.000-06:00

Congratulations to all of the nominees for the Session 3 Programming Awards! There were a lot of great programs squeezed into a short period of time before the hectic pace of December picked up.

Congratulations to those nominated (award-winners are highlighted in red):

All-Hall Programs
-Kelsey Finks & Abbey Holt (Hill Kitt): Back to Kindergarten Night
-Mellby Hall RAs: String Quartet & Holiday Decorating
-Kiersten Hoiland & Libby Tande (Kildahl): Finals Week Paper Editing
-Bryan Haimes & Bryce Kennedy (Larson): Larson Nacho Bar Night
-Bern Youngblood (Ellingson): Physics Night
-Jonathan Woolums & Kate Helmich (Mohn): Seasonal Affective Disorder presentation w/the Counseling Center

Bulletin Boards
-Aurora Vincent (Ytterboe): St. Olaf During World War I
-Micah Marty (Mellby): Meet Your Interim RA
-Aline Skogstoe (Thorson): Riddles
-Jimmy Coghlin (Rand): Oh, Canada: Canadian news, history, etc
-Emma Johansen (Mohn): Interaction board - What would celebrities say?
-Emily McNee (Thorson): How to Build a Snowman

Electives
-Laura Schmiedicke (Mellby): Christmas Fest Lasagna Night
-Kate Helmich, Kathryn Thompson & Kayla Johnson (Mohn): Bedtime Stories
-Chelsea Ray & Elizabeth Mitchell (Hoyme): Trip to Chapati
-Alyssa Zuehl (Larson): Puppy Chow Night
-Kyle Glanton (Mohn): Root Beer Floats
-Anne Steeves (Hoyme): Secret Santa & Ugly Sweater Party
-Stephen Anderson & Taylor Brorby (Thorson): Thanksgiving "Leftovers"
-Ana Cline & Anna Bakk (Ellingson): Stress-Free Night

Session 2 Programming Award Winners!

2008-12-12T14:26:00.000-06:00

Thank you for a great second session of programming! There were LOTS of great programs this session.

We had many more nominations for the programming awards this session, which is a testament to the hard work you all did putting on fun and informative events for your residents.

Congratulations to the following award winners:

Bulletin Boards:
Joanna Cullen (Ytterboe) - 20 Ways to Love Your Body
Scott Grandt & Erik Akervik (Kildahl) - I Saw You on Facebook
Althea Allen (Rand) - Arctic Adaptations
Kate Helmich (Mohn) - The 6 New Food Groups
Micah Marty (Mellby) - The History of Moats

Electives:
Hilleboe RAs (Nick, Gage and Grace) - Hilleboe Pancake Breakfast
Carrie Stillman (Ytterboe) - Gluten-Free Baking
Carrie Heiberg & Erin Shishilla (Ellingson) - Spray Paint T-Shirts
Anne Steeves (Hoyme) - Hoyme Girls' Night (with Alumni Guests)

All Hall Programs:
Katie Wisdom & Laura Kauffman (Kildahl) - JC Jeopardy
Thorson RAs (Stephen, Taylor, Pa Houa, Emily & Aline) - Veteran's Day Party
Katelyn Wright, Sarah Johnson & Brian Thompson (and Hill Kitt staff) - Hill Kitt No Sit All Night Party Right Techno Rave

All award winners received a certificate at the Res Life Holiday Party on Tuesday night. We'll announce the Session 3 Programming Awards during interim!

Good luck with finals!

Session 1 Programming Award Winners!

2008-10-23T10:49:00.001-05:00

Thank you to all staff members for planning terrific programs during Session 1. There were tons of cool events and activities in the residence halls thanks to your efforts.

And congratulations to all the winners of Session 1 Programming Awards!

The top All-Hall Program of the session was given to the Kildahl JC staff for their "Homecoming Spirit Week." The Mohn JCs sponsored a Powderpuff Football Game for the women on 8th and 10th floors as one of their Elective Programs. The 9th floor men helped officiate and cheer. Pictured below are Kayla Johnson, Anne Higgins, Kathryn Thompson, Ty Robinson, Jonathan Woolums and Kate Helmich.

Another Elective Program award went to some of the Hill Kitt staff for their Campus-Wide Scavenger Hunt. Pictured below are the winners: Kelsey Finks, Andrew Fjerstad, Katelyn Wright and Abbey Holt. Not pictured are Ted Eschweiler and Nicole Smith.

The top Bulletin Board award-winners were Erin McHugh & Sarah Charleston from Hoyme, Jared Fisher from Mohn and Brian Thompson & Ryan Hoel from Hill Kitt.

Some photographic evidence of these great bulletin boards....

Erin & Sarah's "History of Halloween" board:

A couple of shots of Brian & Ryan's "Getting to Know Campus" board, complete with accurately timed distances between locations to help first-years find their way:

Unfortunately there are no pictures of Jared's "Accidental Inventions" bulletin board, but it was great!

Congratulations to all award winners and a big THANK YOU to all staff for their programming efforts during Session 1. You'll have the opportunity to nominate your fellow staff for program awards next session, so stay tuned!

Student Staff Spotlight!

2008-10-08T12:10:00.000-05:00

Student Staff Spotlight!: Aurora Vincent

Aurora Vincent is an Ytterboe RA. She's a senior from lovely Iowa City, Iowa. She lived in Mohn for two years, lived in an Honor House last year and is enjoying life in Ytterboe this fall.

Why did you decide to become an RA?
I wanted to meet a lot of new people. I have already met more than I thought I would!

What have you done to get to know the residents in your corridor?
We went and saw the NASA truck [during Homecoming week], and that was amazing. I like to walk around and talk to people.

What celebrity would you hire to play you in a movie about your life?
Sarah Michelle Gellar... because she was Buffy!

What has been the most rewarding part of your res life experience so far?
Getting to know people - I like the community and camaraderie that has developed.

What is the best program you have been a part of?
We did face painting for homecoming and the Ytterboe BBQ (it's a tie).

Describe your ideal meal.
Definitely home cooked. It would include fried chicken, mashed potatoes, lots of corn, and grapes. And black forest cake for dessert.

Student Staff Spotlight!

2008-09-25T15:24:00.001-05:00

Every few weeks we'll spotlight a few staff members on the Res Life Blog. It's our way of recognizing the great work that you are doing in the halls. So keep checking back to find out what your fellow staff members are doing!

Our first "Student Staff Spotlight!" honorees are Ted Eschweiler & Andrew Fjerstad, who keep a watchful (but friendly) eye on their residents on the ground floor of Kittelsby.

Name: Ted Eschweiler & Andrew Fjerstad

1. Why did you decide to become a (JC/RA...)?
A: We actually both decided for the same reason. We were at the French House one night talking to our old JC Paul, who recommended that we become JCs. He said how fun it was, and that we would meet great people.

T: We had a great experience with Paul as our JC so that positively influenced us.

2. What have you done to get to know the residents in your corridor?
A: Corridor events, events with the females of Hill-Kitt… I like to just walk through the hall, even on my way to do laundry and see how the guys are doing.

T: I have spent a lot of time on StalkerNet to become familiar with their faces.

3. If you could be a part of any TV sitcom family, which would you choose?
T: The Bluths from Arrested Development. That would be hilarious to be a part of.

A: I wish The Office characters were a family. But since they aren’t, I have to say the Bluths too.

4. What has been the most rewarding part of your res. life experience so far?
A: Having our residents tell us they like us. We really mesh as a floor.

T: There is mutual acceptance and respect on our floor. So far so good!

5. What is the best program you have been a part of?
Although the Scavenger Hunt and Jesse James Days excursion were fun, nothing beats the Cheer War. Hill-Kitt was awesome, as were the other halls. It made the Kildahl Awkward Dance really fun too.

6. What kind of marine animal would you be and why?
T: [without hesitation] The Narwhal because it’s the unicorn of the sea.

A: Since Ted took my answer, I will say a manatee, because it’s big, cuddly, and friendly.

September 18 In-service

2008-09-23T08:20:00.001-05:00

The Residence Life staff had it's first in-service on Thursday, September 18. Representatives from St. Olaf's Sexual Assault Resource Network (SARN) presented a session about the services they provide and how res life student staff can best serve as a resource for their residents.

90+ staff members, listening intently:

Members of the Ellingson staff discussing one of the scenarios given by the SARN representatives:
The Mellby & Thorson staffs working together:

The Rand staff is busy discussing the situations while Jay shows off his ice cream and buries his face in his armpit:
A whole bunch of staff members working in groups:

Training

2008-09-01T13:44:00.000-05:00

The Residence Life student staff is back! That's a lot of light blue t-shirts.... 97 staff members wearing their Res Life shirts and enjoying the first day of training.

"Week Zero" (the week of residence life training that happens just before Week One) was fantastic and the staff is ready for the year to start!

Welcome to the Res Life blog!

2008-09-01T13:42:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the St. Olaf College Residence Life blog! Visit this page to find information about the Res Life program, read about upcoming events, find out how to apply to be on staff, and much more!