Resident Assistants foster connection throughout the campus community
During the Fall 2025 semester, Alvernia University Resident Assistants (RAs) successfully hosted 80 programs, balancing their academic coursework, extracurricular involvement, and leadership responsibilities. Collectively, these events reached 1,321 students, strengthening the campus community and creating meaningful opportunities for connection and engagement across residence halls.
"Programming efforts within Residence Life align with a sense of belonging, health and wellness, cultural awareness, self-sufficiency, and academic success," Assistant Director of Housing Rodney Countryman Jr. shared. "Through intentional event planning, RAs play a vital role in providing a sense of belonging where students can learn and engage with one another in a positive way."
One program that stood out during the semester was an innovative door-to-door "Pie Delivery" event hosted by first-time RA Giuliana Cardin and third-time RA Jackson Hoovler, Post Center RAs. Rather than hosting a traditional in-place program, the RAs brought the experience directly to residents, adapting their approach to meet the unique needs of their community. The philosophy of the door-to-door program is to increase resident engagement in niche residence halls. It typically consists of an informative flyer, a brief pitch, and a small goodie. Topics can be fun or educational and are designed to meet residents where they are.
"With some assistance and guidance from pro staff, Gules and I were able to develop a new type of RA program," said Hoovler. "Rather than a typical host-and-invite program, we held a door-to-door event, bringing the program to the residents. The low commitment offered an inviting and welcoming atmosphere, allowing us to connect with residents on a more relaxed level."
The event engaged 19 residents, representing more than half of the Post Center resident population on November 19, demonstrating how adaptability and creativity can significantly increase participation.
"Our personalized door-to-door program allowed Jackson and me to engage in individual conversations with residents," Cardin shared. "It helped strengthen our relationships, check in on how their semester was going, and ask what they wanted to see more from us. Many residents said they had never experienced an RA event come straight to their door."
Beyond programming, the impact of the RA role extends far beyond event planning. It is rooted in mentorship, support, and fostering meaningful connections within the residence halls. Following the fall semester, RAs returned in January for Spring training, which introduced a new conference-style model focused on personal growth, leadership development, and skill-building to further support their ongoing work with students.
"RA programming is one of the vital ways we connect with our residential communities," said Hoovler. "College can be a hectic time for residents, so it's our job as RAs to host programs that offer comfort and convenience for each resident. Each program is designed with the needs of residents at the forefront, and that often creates unique opportunities to help build community and support our residents' direct needs, whatever they might be. Each resident has their own story at Alvernia, and I am proud to be a piece in that puzzle."