July 2022 | Summer Newsletter | Resident Advisor
In This Issue: Move-In & Training Reminders Meet The Grad/Pro Crew Avoiding Sea Sickness
MOVE - IN & TRAINING REMINDERS
NEW RA MOVE-IN INFORMATION July 24, 2022 | 2:00-5:00pm RETURNING RA MOVE-IN INFORMATION July 26, 2022 | 2:00-5:00pm CHECK IN LOCATIONS Statesboro:
Check in at Watson Commons, Housing Office (1630 Chandler Road)
Savannah:
Check in at the Housing Office (Compass Point 7000 building - 2nd floor)
If you need to arrange an arrival time outside of this, please coordinate directly with your supervisor. You’ll need their approval before changing your arrival time! Centennial Place - kmaaron@georgiasouthern.edu Compass Point / University Crossings- nsaxon@georgiasouthern.edu Eagle Village - amcgarvey@georgiasouthern.edu Freedom’s Landing - kcurley@georgiasouthern.edu Kennedy Hall - kszczerkowski@georgiasouthern.edu Southern Courtyard - qubanaehudson@georgiasouthern.edu Southern Pines - mndozindikanwu@georgiasouthern.edu Watson Pods - kszczerkowski@georgiasouthern.edu Windward Commons - gyjohnson@georgiasouthern.edu
TRAINING DATE REMINDERS NEW RAs Training begins Monday, July 25 at 9:00AM RETURNING RAs Training begins Tuesday, July 26 at 8:00PM
MOVE - IN & TRAINING REMINDERS
BOARDING ISSUES or QUESTIONS?
MEET THE GRADUATE & PROFESSIONAL STAFF
Introducing your Graduate and Professional Staff for the 2022-2023 academic year! We look forward to meeting each of you during training and getting to know you during the year! Meg Heins, Director of Residence Education
Meg has been at GS for 13 years, all of those spent in Residence Education! She is originally from central Florida, and moved to GA in 2009. In her free time she enjoys hanging out her husband, their two kids (Grant & Abby) and their dog (Moose).
Ben Wicker, Associate Director of Residence Education (Stbo) Ben has been serving in his role for five years, and has been working in Residence Education/Housing since the fall semester of 2001. He is working on a Doctorate from Lincoln Memorial, has a Master’s from the Univ. of S. Florida, and a Bachelor’s from Maryville College. He loves building LEGO and geek culture.
Katie Fester, Associate Director of Residence Education (Sav)
Katie is moving back to the Savannah Campus as the new Associate Director of Residence Education. She has been working with Georgia Southern since fall of 2015, but has been working professionally in housing and residence life since 2012
Erin Noel-McFerrin, Assistant Director of Res. Learning
Erin is in her 7th year at GSU helping to develop and implement curriculum, residential learning communities, and much more! She has her MA in College Student Development from Appalachian State University and she currently spends a lot of time with her reptile, dragon, and dinosaur loving 8 year old (Izzie).
Before joining the team in June, Bonnie spent several years working with the USO in the Middle East. Bonnie has several years of professional Residence Life experience, along with student leader and advising experience in RHA/SAACURH.
Cathy Lucas, Senior Administrative Assistant (Stbo)
Cathy has been at GS almost 14 years and with Housing twelve years. She is incredibly creative and helps the department with finances, administration, and more. Together with her husband Dennis they have 5 kids and 8 grandkids!
Marjorie Lamb, Coordinator of Office Services (Sav)
Marjorie has worked in property management for over 30 years. She received her BFA in Interior Design from Converse College, MBA at Webster University, and worked 9 years for SCAD. She is looking forward to assisting GSU students and the ResEd team!
Naomi Saxon, Resident Director in the Apartments (Sav)
Naomi (she/her) is a 2nd-Year Resident Director at GS. She is very excited to join the Armstrong Campus ResEd Team and help to instill more culture. Find her walking Kade (her VERY cute puppy) around campus!
Katie Spathelf, Grad RD in the Apartments (Sav)
Katie has been at GS for 2 years and has worked in housing though undergraduate and graduate school. This is her first year as a GRD. Katie enjoys all things outdoors/fitness and is currently working on her DPT.
Kaitlyn Aaron, Resident Director in Centennial Place (Stbo)
Kaitlyn is starting her third year working full time in a Resident Director role. She was also a Graduate Resident Director in Southern Pines for two years. Kaitlyn has a chihuahua named Colbie Jean.
MEET THE GRADUATE & PROFESSIONAL STAFF
Bonnie Brackett, AD of Residence Education (Stbo)
MEET THE GRADUATE & PROFESSIONAL STAFF
Jerome Reimers, Grad RD in Centennial Place (Stbo)
Jerome is back again for round 3 as a GRD after previously working in Southern Courtyard and Southern Pines. He graduated for Graceland University and has a wide range of interests and hobbies. You’ll see him in the bouldering cave in the RAC.
Alexis “Lex” McGarvey, Res Dir in Eagle Village (Stbo)
Lex is a new Resident Director for Eagle Village and she has 4 years of experience in Housing (most recently from Conway, SC). Lex enjoys programming, watching movies/tv shows, building leaders, and riding her bike. She is also the proud owner of a sweet cat named Whitaker; who you’ll probably see in the windows!
Brandon Davis, Grad RD in Eagle Village (Stbo)
Brandon Davis (he/his/him) is thrilled to be serving as the GRD in Eagle Village this year. He graduated from Old Dominion University with a BS in Human Services in and is currently in his 2nd year of the GSU Higher Ed masters program. He is originally from Woodbridge, VA and in his free time he enjoys Anime and eating tasty food.
Kellianne “Kell” Curley, Res Dir in Freedom’s Landing (Stbo)
Kell (She/Her/Hers) is returning to FL for a 2nd year. Kell was born and raised in Rockland County, NY and completed her B.A in Conflict Resolution & Psychology at Salisbury University and MEd from GS in May 2021 in Higher Education while serving as a GRD on the Savannah Campus. Kell is a 3x National Cheer Champion and she enjoys going to Tybee Island to watch the sunrise.
Anndrea Womack, Grad RD in Freedom’s Landing (Stbo)
Anndrea was born and raised in Atlanta and she recently graduated from GSU with a bachelor's in Kinesiology (emphasis in exercise science). She is currently obtaining her master's and pursuing a career that allows her to work closely with people in their time of need.
New to the RD role & STBO campus, Kelly returns to GSU after previous GRD experience in Savannah. Kelly has traveled a lot (originally from CT) and has a BA in Communication Studies and M.Ed. in Higher Education. You can find her looking for new great restaurants and hanging out with her cutie pie of a dog Ramsay.
Noah Smith-Fletcher, Grad RD in Watson/Kennedy Hall (Stbo)
Originally from Warsaw, IN,, Noah graduated from Ball State University with a degree in Digital Video Production last May. If you ever want to talk about Anime, Gaming, and other geeky topics - talk to Noah!
Qubanae’ Hudson, Resident Director in Southern Courtyard (Stbo)
Originally from NC, Qubanae’ recently graduated from the University of Central Arkansas with a MA College Student Personnel Administration. She has an open door policy and will always make it her duty to go above and beyond for you. Her daily motto is “In a world full of chaos, make it your business to make footprints that are less chaotic.”
Katie Knight, Grad RD in Southern Courtyard (Stbo)
Katie is in her second year of working with University Housing, but this is her first year working as a GRD. She graduated in 2021 with her B.S. in Public Health and now she is getting an Ed.S. in School Psychology. Ask her about her Silver Lab (Easton) who she couldn’t live without.
David Ndozi,, Resident Director in Southern Pines (Stbo)
Originally from Lagos, Nigeria - David has been with us for 4 years (first as a GRD and now as an RD). He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from the University of West GA and his Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration here at GSU.
MEET THE GRADUATE & PROFESSIONAL STAFF
Kelly Szczerkowski, Res. Dir. for Kennedy/Watson Halls (Stbo)
MEET THE GRADUATE & PROFESSIONAL STAFF
Donovan Lee-Johnson, Grad RD in Southern Pines (Stbo)
Donovan is a Florida native, where he matriculated at and attended Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach and obtained his BA in Mass Communications. An RA during undergrad, he has a broad range of skills and a desire to ensure all residents are able to achieve academic success and personal growth.
Gabby Johnson, Res Dir in Windward Commons (Sav.)
This year Gabby is transitioning from the GRD role to the RD of Windward Commons. With a BA in Psychology from Southern Illinois University and her MA in Experimental Psychology from GSU, she is excited to continue her work in housing. She is fun loving, welcoming and ready to start this year out with lots of school spirit and energy!
Chyna Anderson, Grad RD in Windward Commons (Sav.)
Chyna is transitioning from 3 years of being an RA with University Housing into the GRD role. She has a BS in Health Sciences and is now working on her Masters in Health Administration. Fun fact, she was convinced to apply to grad school by a staff member in the Office of Career & Professional Development.
Kayla Cobb, Grad RD in Central Housing (Sav)
Currently in the Physical Therapy doctoral program in Savannah, Kayla graduated GSU with a degree in Rehabilitation Science and a minor in Spanish. She was inspired to work in PT after a soccer injury in high school and she looks forward to a career giving others the ability to get back to doing what they love. She loves dogs, exercise, playing soccer, eating Hispanic food, traveling, and having game nights!
We make every effort to make training a time for you to have fun, bond with new teammates, and give you access to the resources you need. But it is important to note that there can be stress that comes along with training and move-in.
Here are the top five stressors we feel you will encounter during this time - and some coping methods to combat them!.
THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION There is a LOT of information being presented during training and it all is being presented for a reason. There is also a lot of information NOT being presented. This can add up to stress regarding being able to absorb all the information and feeling like there is a lot you don’t know. To cope with this stress, take the time to remind yourself about a couple of things: ✯
You are expected to pay attention, take notes, and engage in the training discussion. You are NOT expected to remember everything!
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We will continue training after move-in. There is simply too many things to go through to prep you for every situation that could occur. We go through information you need to know NOW and continue developmental sessions throughout the year.
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Taking notes helps you to pay attention, absorb information, organize your thoughts, and give you something to refer back to later. Consider organizing your notes into sections by session topics (General info, Policies/Procedures, Curriculum/Community Building, Crisis/Duty, and OMI). Also have a section for questions, possibly prioritizing questions that need immediate answers vs ones that can be asked later.
AVOIDING SEA SICKNESS : SELF-CARE DURING TRAINING & OMI
Training is intentionally designed to give you the info and resources you need to get through the first month of the semester. All sessions are important, so it is crucial that you are taking notes and understanding the content. That being said, we know the only way for you to be able to do this is 1) have a realistic expectation for the training experience and 2) you utilize self-care practices that allow you to be your best self.
AVOIDING SEA SICKNESS : SELF-CARE DURING TRAINING
LOTS OF MOVING PARTS Our pro and grad staff spend the entire summer getting ready for training and for you! Despite our best efforts, sometimes plans change, details are missed, and/or changes to the schedule and locations must occur. For some, changing expectations can be stressful. To combat this consider: ✯
Keep a running list of tasks to complete, deadlines, and notes…putting these in one notebook or binder can be helpful and make sure to carry that around with you during all trainings and meetings. When things change, take a second to adjust your notes and change deadlines on your to-do list. This way, you can feel confident with all of the changes.
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Stop and take a deep breath. Do something for a few minutes to help clear your head and lower your stress levels. Sometimes, all of the changes can make us feel like our heads are spinning, so take some time to step away and let your brain “relax”, so that all of those new changes and updates can settle.
A LOT TO DO… NOT A LOT OF TIME We know there is a lot to do and we will give you the best checklist we can to help organize time and tasklists. But at the end of the day, there is still just a lot to do. Utilize some of these techniques to overcome the stress of a long to-do list: ✯
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Multitask when you can. This is the best practice for being efficient with your time. Where can you stay focused and doing quality work or paying full attention, but also completing other tasks? For example, can you color door decorations while thinking about your program planning and stopping to take notes? Can you put up your bulletin board while helping a fellow RA with a training question? Ensure you are being as efficient as possible and have the resources you need when you sit down to complete a task. Ask your RD/GRD or fellow RAs about any potential information you need and then hunker down to focus on the task. Plan ahead. Where are the times that will work best in your schedule to get your tasks done? Take a little time to think through and be intentional about utilizing your time as best as you can. What are the priorities? Are there certain things that have deadlines? What about tasks that will influence the bottom of Maslow’s Hierarchy first, like safety or facilities? Set your priorities for the tasks and keep evaluating them as you work through your task list. Use your RD/GRD if you need to, in order to make sure you are on the right track with your priorities and their organization.
If you are in the RA position, there is something internal to you that wants to do well, help others, and grow as a person. Most of the time that internal pressure is what helps us push through and succeed, but sometimes it can affect your confidence and make you doubt your own abilities. Remember to: ✯
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First and most importantly…we do not expect you to know it all and be 100% confident in everything as you go through training. It takes time to absorb this much information and sometimes it takes practice or more discussion for it to sink in. You will always have someone you can go to when you have questions or want to discuss again. Talk with your RD/GRD/RELT and ask for help. If you feel like you really didn’t understand something, make a list of questions during that training session and ask for time to chat with your RD/GRD that night. There are no silly questions and your RD/GRD/RELT member will be happy to help explain it in as many ways as we can to ensure you feel confident. Ask to practice with another RA or your leadership team. You should be able to explain what you’ve learned to someone else…this is the best way to feel like you know the content. You can also practice having tough conversations and you can bounce ideas off of each other.
DECLINING ENERGY + TENSION Because we are physically and mentally busy during this time, we have to be mindful to practice good self-care. This is especially important as the training time goes by because when stress and tension rises, while energy declines - it can lead to negative interactions with others. It's important to remember we are all on the same team, we need to support each other, and if we are the cause of negative or stress - to take responsibility for the consequences and commit to responding to stress in a positive way. Here are some other items that can help keep energy up and negativity low: ✯
Schedule in time each day for yourself. It is helpful to be intentional about making time for self-care and keeping that time open. This scheduling can also become a good practice for later in the semester. For example, schedule 15 minutes in the morning before training to meditate, read, sit down with your coffee, go the gym, take a walk, call your family, etc. Schedule during a time when you know you won’t have any other competing priorities.
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Make sure to take care of yourself in all aspects of self-care, including physically. Get some quality sleep, eat healthy foods, drink plenty of water and less caffeine, and stay active.
AVOIDING SEA SICKNESS : SELF-CARE DURING TRAINING
INTERNAL PRESSURE
“Life comes at us in waves. We can’t predict or control those waves, but we can learn to surf.” - Dan Millman