Resident Adviser
ethical decisions // empathy // inclusion of diverse people // maintain health
In my role as a RA I was a community facilitator, I tried to develop and create an environment for students that was welcoming, social, inclusive and supported their academic success. I was responsible for a floor of 60 residents, all of whom came from different geographic regions and various cultural, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
![Picture](/uploads/2/6/2/4/26243262/1399828118.png)
Developing Empathy
Having moved around the country multiple times, and traveled extensively, I’ve become passionate about meeting different people and gaining new perspectives about their cultures, backgrounds, regions and beliefs. My travel experiences are similar to my role as a Resident Adviser. In my RA role I worked with students from varied financial backgrounds as well as interacted with and students from different countries. They all faced different challenges and I was able to work with them to find the necessary resources to help them. Some just needed a trusting person to confide in, and as an aspiring genetic counselor, this helped improve my listening skills. By actively listening to my residents and helping them find solutions around campus, I believe I helped them transition into being independent individuals.
Having moved around the country multiple times, and traveled extensively, I’ve become passionate about meeting different people and gaining new perspectives about their cultures, backgrounds, regions and beliefs. My travel experiences are similar to my role as a Resident Adviser. In my RA role I worked with students from varied financial backgrounds as well as interacted with and students from different countries. They all faced different challenges and I was able to work with them to find the necessary resources to help them. Some just needed a trusting person to confide in, and as an aspiring genetic counselor, this helped improve my listening skills. By actively listening to my residents and helping them find solutions around campus, I believe I helped them transition into being independent individuals.
![Picture](/uploads/2/6/2/4/26243262/7500845.jpg)
Inclusion of Diverse People
Being a RA taught me how to be a leader, value and seek out the inclusion of diverse people, perspectives and ideas while helping them. It was difficult at first to adapt my own leadership style to fit with theirs, whether I was organizing group events or mediating roommate conflicts. For example, I put together a group outing to a Seattle Sounder’s game each spring. Tickets to sporting events can be very expensive and not all students are able to afford them. In order to make sure everyone on my floor could be included in the event, I negotiated with an event coordinator for the Sounders and was able to obtain a lower price for a group rate. Additionally, I worked with my Director to secure funds for students who could not afford to pay the discounted price; it helped me understand the disparity of incomes between the students I advised. In high school I was accustomed to hanging out with peers from a similar socioeconomic background and had very few opportunities to work with people outside of my peer group. However, this sporting event gave me a new perspective about financial responsibilities and led to me seek different ways to make sure the event was inclusive for everyone It also gave me the skills to empathize and respect different individuals as well as organize and execute large scale events and expanded my planning, leadership and skills of inclusion
Being a RA taught me how to be a leader, value and seek out the inclusion of diverse people, perspectives and ideas while helping them. It was difficult at first to adapt my own leadership style to fit with theirs, whether I was organizing group events or mediating roommate conflicts. For example, I put together a group outing to a Seattle Sounder’s game each spring. Tickets to sporting events can be very expensive and not all students are able to afford them. In order to make sure everyone on my floor could be included in the event, I negotiated with an event coordinator for the Sounders and was able to obtain a lower price for a group rate. Additionally, I worked with my Director to secure funds for students who could not afford to pay the discounted price; it helped me understand the disparity of incomes between the students I advised. In high school I was accustomed to hanging out with peers from a similar socioeconomic background and had very few opportunities to work with people outside of my peer group. However, this sporting event gave me a new perspective about financial responsibilities and led to me seek different ways to make sure the event was inclusive for everyone It also gave me the skills to empathize and respect different individuals as well as organize and execute large scale events and expanded my planning, leadership and skills of inclusion
![Picture](/uploads/2/6/2/4/26243262/4869161.jpg)
My career goal is to become a genetic counselor, which involves working with patients from a variety of different backgrounds, helping them and actively listening to their concerns and questions. The role of a Resident Adviser is similar with an emphasis on college life instead of medical diagnosis. Like a genetic counselor, I had to also find ways to take care of myself in times of tough decisions. Developing strong relationships with my residents, who supported me in other parts of my life, helped me with my self-care.
Being a RA has also fueled my passion to work with diverse populations and be a community leader and genetic counselor.
Being a RA has also fueled my passion to work with diverse populations and be a community leader and genetic counselor.