#finishstrong

Hello RA world!

As we wind down the semester and 24 hour quiet hours start I wanted to share a bit of humor with my favorite 34 people!

First is an oldie but a classic. This accurately describes what we do everyday- we make the Residence Halls great places to study, laugh, eat, sleep and overall just have a really productive College Experience!!

This is why DORM is a bad word in our world. Demerits for all uses of the word DORM in Winter Training (starting on January 15 at 10am for NEW RAs and 1pm for Returners!!)

Quiet Hours- they start early (1am) on Saturday night/Sunday morning! Take advantage and study up!! Remind your residents that is for everyone on campus- even those that are done with their exams. We are deserve respect during #finalsweek. 

The fox knows. 

Good luck next week friends!!
LOL, (lots of love!)
Jessica

Staff Shoutouts!

Hola!

It's time again to recognize those staff members who have been Really Awesome over the last week.  Email Julie to submit your own for the next round of shout outs!  

Pizza Party Winners!

Congratulations to our RAs with the TOP 5 RESPONSE RATES on resident evals!  Be on the lookout for a communication from Jessica about how to claim your floor's prize!

• London Mosher - 100% (Holy smokes!  Great job, London!)
• Melissa Velpel - 85% 
• Chris Hamilton - 80%
• Mherete Mherete - 78%
• Maggie Breen-Lyles - 72%

Michael Anderson!

Michael's been on the ball with several incident reports about damages in the halls.  Good eye, Michael!

Dan Knox!

Shoutout to Dan from Jessica for being true to himself and his own temperature needs and wearing his winter coat indoors at Jessica's house over Thanksgiving, even though Jessica was being mean and making fun of him.  You go, Dan!

Colin Uthe!

Colin has been an all-around rockstar on staff, in addition to just being a positive and pleasant person.  He also kicks David's butt in Madden, which important and needs to be recognized.

Shantavia Young!

Picked up THREE nights of Thanksgiving break duty for Scott staff.  Way to take one for the team, Tavia!

Zach Matson!

Zach came to the rescue when bad weather prevented Maggie from making it back to campus for her duty night over Thanksgiving Break.  Zach jumped to fill in because he's awesome and always willing to help a fellow staff member.  Thanks Zach!

Rachel Grutza!

Rachel has put a lot of thought and care into her programs this semester, and her effort has been very much appreciated.  Keep it up, Rachel!

Veronica DeLisle!

Veronica handled some rough and unexpected situations on her floor efficiently and professionally last week.  Thanks for holding down the fort, Veronica!

Until next time!
<3 DJ3

Staff Spotlight: Quad Squad

Oh yes hi hello. This is David coming at you with another Update from the Quad Sqad. The Squad is doing really well actually. I think we’ve got all the right junk in all the right places. That’s my clever way of saying we’ve got some pretty talented people that I kinda like bragging about. 

Well. Anyways. Where to begin? Let’s start with Konner and Marthe, both of whom put on yet another incredible program called, “cards against depression.” It was really cool and I schooled a handful of them in Banagrams. Also Konner and I were on the Ripon Website for #respectfuldifference… sorry we’re awesome? Yessra participated in it too?!? I do not know how she did not end up on the website. 

Whatever. Yessra deserves her own website anyways. 

Anyways where were you. Let’s talk about our awesome RAD programmers? They kind of are on a whole new level of kick ass. That buffalo wild wing competition was kinda awesome. If you have time, you should ask Laura who the real winner was. It wasn’t Jason. Na Na Boo Boo, [this comment censored by Julie because she does not approve.  Deal with it]. 

The RA Office underwent some renovations, this was of course done by the hands of our one and only, Rachel. In between talking about dogs and crafts during our 1/1, she managed to add some new swag to our office. Go her. Speaking of people with hidden talent, Colin is surprisingly unstoppable at Madden. 

I almost beat him… 

Almost. 

Then I lost. UGH. 

And the final in our Quad Squad roll call is Zach and Jenny. Both of whom just finished yet another sweet program where we learned about sustainability. Jason and I were really impressed. 

All in all, the Quad Squad is doing pretty awesome.  You should give us all high fives next time you see us.  Just saying.

 - David

Programming HQ: Bringing 2014 to a Close

Hey all, check out these tips David wants to send your way as we finish up our fall programming!

There's a lot happening in these last couple weeks, and as the semester wraps up and finals loom, it can be helpful to pull your residents out of their study bubble and reflect on their time on floor this year.  At your last program or floor meeting of the semester, or even just while hanging out with residents here and there, ask some of the following questions to get your residents thinking about what this semester has meant to their residential experience.  And while you're at it, why don't you think about the answers yourself!

• When I first met people on this floor, I thought…

• The best part about living on this floor has been…

• One thing I learned from living on this floor is…

• One thing I learned about myself this semester is…

• What I’ll miss most about this semester is…

• I laughed the hardest when…

• One time somebody on the floor helped me was when…

• The toughest part of this semester was…

• If I had this semester to do over, I would…

• My favorite memory about living here so far is…

Bonus: Invite your residents to an end of the semester dinner in the Commons! Your entire floor can go to have a final dinner together before finals ramp up and people start heading out for winter break.  No matter what sort of floor you're living on - First Years, upperclassmen, Greek, independent - each of your residents has experienced new challenges, situations, and transitions this semester.  Help them reflect on how living on the floor has impacted their semester, and what they hope to see with the new year.

XOXO,

David

#respectfuldifference @RiponCollege

How many of you have seen these going around or have participated? A lot of you from what I can tell! That is awesome. In case you missed it Ripon was on the news yesterday about this campaign click here to get to the news story.

Not only does it feature our very own Yessra Sankari (Hollywood will be calling!) it also features this campaign that was born at Kenyon College- where Julie spent her years as a student. Read here about how their College President helped Kenyon respond to the yucky side of yik yak and other social media tools that make is easier to spread hateful speech.

Then you should check out Kenyon's Facebook page for #respectfuldifference. (I know, I know a lot of links!! But it is good stuff!)

Once Kenyon's president Sean Decatur went out with his article I found it on Twitter. I might not look like it but I score Twitter daily for little tidbits like this that can help make Ripon a better place. I look for professional development that would be helpful for the RHDs and for myself so we can learn to supervise and mentor all of you as best we can. I also look for cool ideas that we can bring to campus, programs to copy, and resources for RAs. Once I read this article I knew it was a cool campaign and that it was something that I wished I had thought of as we were battling all the hate on the Ripon College Confessions Page. But I brought the article to the Diversity Roundtable discussions that we have once a month on Thursdays in the Commons. I took this idea there as something for Ripon to try and for David William Scott to see if students at Ripon thought it was cool enough to do here.

That Roundtable did think this would work and the idea just took off from there. David William Scott has been awesome at organizing it and keeping everything rolling. I am pretty proud of Ripon when I see these kinds of things and even more proud when we get recognized for it at the state level. You are part of a community that wants to foster an environment where we can share ideas, respectfully disagree at times, have civil conversations about our identities and what makes each of us important parts of this community. If you have not already posted a photo of yourself participating in the campaign and would like to- let me know! I will hook you up! Then Julie will post you to the RC Student Life Facebook page.

Thank you for being awesome RAs! -Jessica

Staff Shout Outs!

Heya Staff!

As we head out and wind down for the break, we want to recognize these Really Awesome staff members for their fantastic efforts this past week.  Email Julie to submit your own for next week!  In the meantime get some rest, eat some good food, and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Laura Savall & Ryan Slowinski!

These two hosted a wonderful RAD event this past weekend - a Buffalo Wild Wings eating contest - that was super well attended and gave residents a lot of fun.  Nice job, Programmers!

Kari Brown!

Kari has been on top of her game managing some difficult situations with positivity, timely communication, and a roll-with-it attitude.  Thanks for going above and beyond, Kari!

Matthew Shultz & Akash Sen!

This pair put on a successful (and inadvertently well-timed) all area event centered around Super Smash Bros.  Residents had a blast and it was the perfect spring board for folks to go out and buy the newest Smash Bros game, which had just been released.  Like, that night.  It was funny and unexpected and totally awesome.  Well done!

Emily Coates, Karla Perez, & Veronica DeLisle!

These ladies hosted a well-attended all are about the health benefits of yoga and fruit smoothies. Residents participated in a half-hour yoga session (some of these pictures are ridiculous.  We have some flexible residents in TAJ, people) and despite some unanticipated hiccups (Rest in Peace, TAJ blender), the event was well executed and lots of fun.  Also, those smoothies were flippin' delicious.  Love it!

Derek Saxon, Jason Winkelmann, & Raymond Allen!

Your fearless SAHDs have taken the plunge into launching a new and exciting initiative in Ripon Residence Life - Hall Congress, a new incarnation of the previously seen Hall Council system.  These guys have put a lot of hard work and energy into launching this system and getting the word out, and the prostaff couldn't be more proud.  Keep it up, guys!

The TAJ Blender!

See note above under Emily, Karla, and Veronica.  You put up a good fight, little guy.  See you on the other side.

Be on the lookout for our new round of Shout Outs next week!

<3 DJ3

Staff Shout Outs!

Whazzup Reslifers?

Check out our staff shout outs for this week!  These staff members were caught going above and beyond in being Really Awesome this past week.  Give them a shout (or high five, or 'sup nod, or enthusiastic greeting) when you see them out and about.

Have you seen a fellow staff member being especially fantastic this week?  Have an inside joke you just HAVE to play up online?  Want to share a funny story or tidbit with the rest of RA Land?  Email Julie with your own shout outs and we'll post them here!

London Mosher!

She was wonderful in Cymbeline last week and has juggled a busy rehearsal and play schedule all semester.  Take a breath, London. You've earned it!

Akash Sen!

Akash handled a...let's call it "nontraditional" duty night with professionalism and took everything in stride.  Thanks for being awesome, Akash!

Marthe Folivi & Konner Feldhus!

These two hosted an all area event called "Cards Against Depression" that educated residents and dealt with some super important issues!  Keep it up!

Melissa Velpel!

Melissa has been rockin' on the communication front and has really stood out this week for her follow through and timely handling of concerns on her floor!  Love it!

Jason Winkelmann!

He's consistent and thorough adminstratively, he puts up with David calling him mean names, and he totally would have worn the pirate pants Jessica made (unlike a certain grumpy and style-conscious SAHD we all know).  Youza boss, Jason!

Shantavia!

She's been going above and beyond connecting with her residents and drawing them out of their shells, and generally being a fantastic presence for students who are going through rough times.  Great job!

Angela Pamperin!

Angela had, like, one of the busiest Sunday nights TAJ has ever seen, and she rolled with it beautifully.  You're awesome!

Carl Meisner & Jenny Delgado!

Each of these folks has really stepped up the last week and filled some pressing needs on their respective staffs. Thanks for the stellar team spirit!

Ray Allen!

Ray stepped up confronted an ongoing behavioral concern from some of the residents in his area, holding them accountable and addressing the problem at hand. Keep it up!

Karla Perez!

Karla is laying the foundation for a new student group on campus focused on fitness and physical health. It's a REALLY exciting opportunity, and if you want a supportive network of exercise buddies but aren't interested in a formal team environment, you should totally ask her about it!

Zach Muench, Rachel Grutza, & Jenny Delgado!

These three won the Money Matters game show this weekend, which is kind of really cool.  Hooray!

Keep being awesome, folks!

Much love,
DJ3

Programming HQ

Looking for some programming inspiration?  Check out this tip from David!

Season 3 of Intramural Sports is quickly on approach and I wanted to tell all of you some thoughts. Season 3 consists if bowling and basketball. I know sometimes it's difficult to engage your student athletes. Let's face it, they're busy, you're busy, it's a lot. 

We all need physical fitness in our lives and creating an intramural team is an easy way to make that happen on your floor. It's a great way to engage your residents and build some community outside the halls. How cool would it be to get your residents chatting together, socializing, and working towards a common goal? And I bet if you put together a team and maybe made a BB about it... Your RHD might just let you count it as a passive program! 

XOXO,             

David             

PS: David acknowledges that this post doubles as a shameless plug for intramurals, which he oversees.  We thank him for his honesty.

PPS: Puppies are not allowed on the basketball court.  This is not Air Bud.  Sadly.

WAICU - Continuing the Conversation

You all have heard quite a bit about the WAICU RA Conference this month and how cool it was.  Well we wanted to give an opportunity for the RAs who attended to give their own thoughts on the experience.  Here's what your fellow RAs had to say about their adventures at Concordia!

Maggie:
"I learned that programming can be cut many different ways, but the main focus should always be connecting with your residents and creating a community."

Rachel Grutza:
"My favorite part was getting to know other people and have something in common. I was able to bounce ideas off of the other RAs. And I suggest everyone do the case study comp, it was a great way to meet others. I also just enjoyed hanging out with our staff on the ride to and from and at dinner."

Marthe:
"At Marquette they have three conversations instead of programming. The idea is to create a 1/1 relationship with all your residents and really get to know them. I think this is a very good and thoughtful idea. "

Kari:
"I thought it was so interesting that no matter how different the campuses and policies were at different schools, we all had the same common goals and vocabulary.  It was cool to see that Reslife is not a Ripon bubble sort of thing, it's a bigger experience than that and there are lots of students from all over that are doing the same things we are for the same reasons.  It's not just us!"

Staff Shout Outs!

Hey staff!

Below you'll find some shout outs to RAs who have been caught being especially fantastic in the past couple weeks.  "Staff Shout Outs" will be a weekly feature here on the Reader, so keep your eyes peeled for more tales of RAs doing what they do best - being Really Awesome in all the things they do here at Ripon.

Did you catch a fellow staff member going above and beyond this week?  Have an inside joke you just HAVE to play up online?  Want to share a funny story or tidbit with the rest of RA Land?  Email Julie with your own shout outs and we'll post them here!

Yessra Sankari!

She actually emailed all of her residents right after the INservice to let them all know that if they need anything to please come talk to her and that her room was a safe space.  She took what we talked about and put it into practice. This is awesome. 

Rachel Grutza & Marthe Folivi!

Both attended the WAICU RA Conference and they stepped up to compete in the Case Study Competition. That's awesome. 

Konner Feldhus!

100% on plan forms the night they went out. Can we talk about how awesome that is?

Megan Marema!

Represented Scott staff at the WAICU conference this month!

Shantavia Young!

The first RA on Scott staff to have officially submitted ALL community development floor program proposals for the semester!

Angela Pamperin, Melissa Velpel, & Rachel Detrie!

These three used their all area theme of "Appreciation" to host a super successful and well-executed program.  Residents of the TAJ area were invited to add their handprints to the walls in the handprint lounge of lower Johnson, and those who attended seemed to really love the event.  Kudos for continuing a much-loved tradition on campus, and for managing to make the entire event happen without spilling A DROP of stray paint.  Great job guys!

Kari Brown, Karla Perez, & Maggie Breen-Lyles!

JATSCats representation at WAICU!  They were the cat's meow at Concordia.

Jill Kalis, Derek Saxon, Angela Pamperin, Chris Hamilton, Dan Knox, Karla Perez, Malainey Myrin, Matthew Schultz, Michael Anderson, Shantavia Young, Yessra Sankari, & Zach Muench!

TOTU 2014 was an absolute BLAST!  Thanks to all these staff members for their hard work in making this event a success, and a special shoutout to all the goldfishies who have now found a new home here on campus.

Great job everyone!

<3 DJ3

Leadership According to Disney

Leadership is one of those things that we talk about all the time with the RA staff. We want to give you the tools and training to be the best darn leaders out there. I have to admit that sometimes the concept of leadership is best explained by others.

My expertise is only as good as my training. Today my training comes from Disney. Big, profit hunting, corporate, happy mouse Disney. But they sure do have some good messages- even in those older classics.

Edna Mode from The Incredibles 

Check out this awesome article with Steps to Being an Effective Leader from Disney.com. It is told with Pixar characters and as you will all soon find out- Pixar has lots of lessons that I relate back to the Residence Life world. Stay tuned for more Big Boss JJ posts. Trust me-they will be worth it.

FORTIFY!

Hello RA Land!

I know you have heard all about the RA Conference but I wanted to share the highlights. First of all- it was a challenge to get access to even write about this. In the digital age you would think accessing a blog would be easier!

In the world of Student Affairs in Higher Education there is a strong emphasis on professional development and continuous learning. The RA conference is one of those opportunities that we have as professionals to provide that kind of development for you as students! If you are not already familiar with WAICU I encourage you to check out their website here. WAICU has created lots of opportunities for collaboration between private schools in WI and for each of us to learn from one another. The pro staff members at different institutions get together to host an RA conference for all of our student staffs in Residence Life departments in each school.

Maggie, Karla, Kari and Megan freezing on the balcony of the CCES Building at Concordia

Concordia University Wisconsin hosted this November on a chilly day in Mequon. Concordia is located right on Lake Michigan and it was fun to see another campus. They also have tunnels connecting their buildings so some students NEVER walk outside in the winter. The RA Conference is also a great way to meet RAs from other schools and hear about their experiences- and being jealous of those tunnels.

The theme of the conference was Fortify! As in fortifying our communities and maintaining a strong foundation as we serve college students. Schools were asked to present a roll call skit demonstrating the foundation of their institution. Ripon's roll call was a play on two of Ripon's trademark slogans: "We're writing the book on quality, personal, undergraduate education" and "More.Together." We put together 12 pages in a book that illustrate the types of things that make up the foundation of Ripon's quality undergraduate educational experience and how that makes Ripon a place that is more together. It was pretty great if you ask me! Those in attendance did great work making their book pages and we looked good on stage.

The conference includes a keynote speaker, programming sessions, networking opportunities, and a case study competition. The keynote speaker this year was a High School Teacher named Tom Roekle who gave a funny and inspiring talk about how RAs can and do make a difference in the lives of our residents. He used funny stories about his daughter and his experience as a teacher/coach to help us see the lessons in everyday situations. He has a killer arm and showed it off while throwing snickers into the crowd.

Joanis asks for a selfie! Of course!

The case study competition had a component for both returning RAs and first time RAs to participate with a partner from another school. Rachel Grutz and Marthe Folivi participated from Ripon and Marthe even took home 2nd place with her partner from Marian University!

back: Marthe Folivi, Megan Marema, Kari Brown, Rachel Grutza, David Polizzi
front: Maggie Breen-Lyles, Karla Perez, Julie Weiner, and Jill Kalis

All in all the day was a great day of learning, inspiration and fun. If you are interested in learning more or making sure you are in the van to go to the next conference talk to one of these peeps! Comment in the comments section below if you have things to add to this article too!

-Jessica

Well hey there!

Hello to our favorite RA staff!  Welcome to the new and improved Reslife Reader.  A lot of thought went into making this switch from a traditional monthly newsletter to a blog.  Our hope is that this format will allow the Reader to stay more relevant, more engaging, and generally more useful for you in your Reslife experience.  Here are a few of the things you'll see posted here in the coming months:

• Updates on your fellow staffs 
• Reslife news and upcoming events
• Shout outs to staff members who have gone above and beyond
• Updates on events and undertakings 
• Hints, tips, advice, and ideas for you in your RA role
• Random things the prostaff find and write that we think are relevant/useful/funny/cool/interesting
• Probably some Reslife memes at some point, because why not
• Lots of other things that you'll hopefully want to read

We're open to suggestions, so if there's a particular feature you'd like to see, let us know!  In the meantime have a fabulous Friday, a beautiful weekend, and to those of you joining us for the WAICU conference, see you bright and early tomorrow morning!

Much love,

DJ3

(PS: If David tells you he came up with the "DJ3" thing, he's lying. That is all.)