By: Emily Riddle
Residence Life has started the process of hiring Resident Assistants (RAs) for the 2024-2025 school year.
Students can apply through the Common Leadership Application, which asks what leadership position(s) they would like to apply for and rank them based on the position most important to them. The application also asks questions directly related to the position and why the student wants to be an RA.
The different leadership opportunities include diversity peer educator, peer career navigator, orientation leader, spiritual peer mentor, peer wellness educator, Knights of Color mentor, Week of Welcome team leader, hall host, BU leader, Knights Nation president, and peer coach.
Every year, the initial due date for these applications is the Friday students return from winter break. However, Associate Director of Residence Life Jacob Smith said the deadline was extended to Jan. 11 because these applications might not be the students' focus during the break.
Applicants must go through what upper campus area coordinator Michael Watts calls a “multi-tier hiring process” to become an RA, and the application is only the beginning.
Next come the interviews. There is a group interview where applicants can show their teamwork and problem-solving skills. After that, a round of individual interviews allows applicants to show more concrete skills like conflict resolution, mental health counseling, or academic support.
Once the interviews are finished, Residence Life professional staff meet to determine who will be hired as RAs for the following school year.
Smith said he loves this time of year. “This year's RA staff have been excellent, and it's always fun to build on your new team for next year,” Smith said.
Lower campus area coordinator Jenna Ward said she is very excited about her first year as a part of the Bellarmine RA hiring process. “Interviewing is just one of my favorite things that I've gotten to do in any of my jobs and activities,” she said.
Watts said the hiring process is an exciting time. “Logistically, it's a lot of work… but it's a lot of fun,” he said.
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