Not in it for the money
Some community advisors say they are in it for leadership experience, social interaction, helping freshmen transition from high school, rather than the pay
by Brittney Hansen
Issue date: 4/8/08
Section: Campus News
While the compensation may attract students to becoming a community advisor, it is certainly not the main reason many choose to take on that role.
"They definitely don't get paid enough," said Randall Mateo, earth science and Spanish senior and former CA of three years. "Definitely don't do it for just the room and thinking 'oh yeah, I get a free room to myself and get paid,'" he said.
Mateo said that if that is the only reason students apply for the position, then it probably isn't worthwhile; rather, they should do it because they want to help new students transition from high school to college and to get to know other people.
"I also learned a lot of leadership skills and other things that I can apply to future jobs," Mateo said.
"Apart from the compensation, it's the experience that comes with it," said Mildred Lau, finance and mathematics junior from Malaysia and the CA on Crawford A3, the intercultural floor.
Lau said she has international students on her floor from six continents. She said that apart from meeting many people from all around the world, the leadership experience she has gained has been one of the most rewarding parts of her job.
"I was staying in the dorms before, so I like how the atmosphere is, how it's one community with 48 residents on the floor, how they interact with each other," Lau said. "Also, I was impressed with what the CAs were doing and I was looking for leadership experiences and communicating with different people from all around the world."
CAs are required to hold weekly floor events and to do rounds about twice weekly to make sure residents are not breaking campus policies. Students interested in becoming a CA apply early in the spring and then go to a class that teaches the basics of being a CA.
"It's an application like everything else," said Sam Yoder, automotive engineering and technology sophomore and future CA of Crawford D1. "They tell you to fill out basically everything you know about yourself and why you think you're qualified to be a CA - which I thought was the hardest part - coming up with why I'm better than other people."
Yoder said what influenced him to apply was his current CA and the opportunity to meet new students.
Yoder said the part about being a CA he is most looking forward to is meeting the new guys on his floor.
Living in the residence halls keeps students in sync with what is going on around campus, since many campus events are not advertised off campus.
"There's always action, there's always things to do," said Yoder. "Everybody's doing different stuff every day and if you want to hop on or tag along or learn to do something new, the dorms are where to do it."
Brittney Hansen is a Reporter assistant news editor
"They definitely don't get paid enough," said Randall Mateo, earth science and Spanish senior and former CA of three years. "Definitely don't do it for just the room and thinking 'oh yeah, I get a free room to myself and get paid,'" he said.
Mateo said that if that is the only reason students apply for the position, then it probably isn't worthwhile; rather, they should do it because they want to help new students transition from high school to college and to get to know other people.
"I also learned a lot of leadership skills and other things that I can apply to future jobs," Mateo said.
"Apart from the compensation, it's the experience that comes with it," said Mildred Lau, finance and mathematics junior from Malaysia and the CA on Crawford A3, the intercultural floor.
Lau said she has international students on her floor from six continents. She said that apart from meeting many people from all around the world, the leadership experience she has gained has been one of the most rewarding parts of her job.
"I was staying in the dorms before, so I like how the atmosphere is, how it's one community with 48 residents on the floor, how they interact with each other," Lau said. "Also, I was impressed with what the CAs were doing and I was looking for leadership experiences and communicating with different people from all around the world."
CAs are required to hold weekly floor events and to do rounds about twice weekly to make sure residents are not breaking campus policies. Students interested in becoming a CA apply early in the spring and then go to a class that teaches the basics of being a CA.
"It's an application like everything else," said Sam Yoder, automotive engineering and technology sophomore and future CA of Crawford D1. "They tell you to fill out basically everything you know about yourself and why you think you're qualified to be a CA - which I thought was the hardest part - coming up with why I'm better than other people."
Yoder said what influenced him to apply was his current CA and the opportunity to meet new students.
Yoder said the part about being a CA he is most looking forward to is meeting the new guys on his floor.
Living in the residence halls keeps students in sync with what is going on around campus, since many campus events are not advertised off campus.
"There's always action, there's always things to do," said Yoder. "Everybody's doing different stuff every day and if you want to hop on or tag along or learn to do something new, the dorms are where to do it."
Brittney Hansen is a Reporter assistant news editor
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