Hello once again!

Something we find very important at UCA, and even to the more specific area which would be our Residential Colleges, is something we call integrity. Integrity is really hard to just put into words but more of an action that is played out daily. And in the Short/Denney Residential College integrity is something that we really strive for. Integrity is the one of our foundations. Without it we wouldn’t be one big family. I have met so many people through this experience.

Integrity here isn’t something that is passed on lightly but taken to heart and lived out daily. We as STARS strive to live out our lives everyday better than the previous. And we couldn’t do that without the help of our wonderful friends that have been made. Friendships have been formed, strengthened and cherished. But it is because of the consistency of everyone to make long lasting relationships. Sometimes I wish I could snap my fingers and there be friends but honestly it takes consistency, trustworthiness, time and honesty.

Me and Kaitlin, STARS Lobby

Something else that I love about the STARS, is our Resident Assistants (RA’s) and how they are very friendly and welcoming. The whole staff works together really well and helps each other at all costs. They also work well with the advocates (mentors/tutors) in the dorm. They are always there when we need them and I couldn’t ask for a better staff! When it comes to programs, we might have the same people attending but if it wasn’t for the RA’s working together then they probably wouldn’t work.

As I have mentioned, Integrity is something that is very important in the dorms/residential colleges. We strive to be the best we can be and do the best we can do. There has been long lasting friendships that has been made along the way and a lot of laughter, long nights of games and talks, one on ones with others just because they love and trust each other. I have had girls come knock on my door more times than I would have expected all because I made my face present in the lobby. Living in the Residential College is such a blessing!

Me

Every person living in a Residential College is automatically a member of the Residential Housing Association (or RHA), a democratically maintained wing of the university dedicated entirely towards the advancement of resident’s interests. RHA provides any Residential College member with a forum for concerns or suggestions. Each Hall is represented by 2-4 “Cubs.” The most essential role of a Cub is to plan events for residents.

I am one of Short/Denney’s 4 elected Cubs. I did not anticipate how valuable my experiences with RHA would be. Through the planning of events my sense of integrity has been reinforced as a response to the duties of my position. In a very real way I have influence over how the RHA budget is delegated. It is important that Cubs behave conservatively and responsibly when planning an event. We have the ability to squander resources. We have the power to abuse money. A sense of mature and adult trust is assumed with the position. RHA is not an insipid placeholder organization. It is a union of young people with a common commitment to the Residential Hall program.

The STARS have developed a reputation this last year as a consistently capable and deeply talented participant in RHA. The three other Cubs and I have worked together to generate hit events that drew impressive crowds to the Short/Denney lobby. This is not possible unless each Cub appreciates the influence they truly have with the Hall and in RHA. A deficit in personal integrity critically undermines that power.

The four STARS Cubs

“Be excellent to each other, and party on, dudes.” -Abraham Lincoln (Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure)

What you find in a residential college is unique and you will never experience anything else like it. Residential Colleges at UCA take the standard model of a dorm room and tailor it to your fields of interest allowing a more communal feel. Every resident has a different background but they are there for the same reason, to collaborate and further pursue their interests, be it the arts, the sciences, global awareness, and leadership. Not only do you form communities of like minds but within Residential Colleges you also for academic communities to help further your education as well.

Like I stated before, every resident comes from a different background with different specialties academically-wise and, with the tight knit community that develops through our common interests, we begin to rely on each other so we can succeed collectively. For example, I have a friend Tyler who is a creative writing major with a minor in philosophy and I often find myself coming to him for help with my philosophy class and discuss philosophical and moral issues. My suitemate, Daniel, is a marketing major but loves politics; there’s hardly even a day when we don’t find ourselves talking about past and present politics along with coming up with hilarious and creative slogans, names, and sayings for events that happen in our daily life. For me though, I’m the resident “techy,” that means whenever someone has a problem with their computer or any electronic device, I’m the one they come to. It’s also the same for math; it’s no surprise I love math and a lot of the time I’m called upon to help somebody with their college algebra homework.

Our academic community is only as strong as the recourses we have at our disposal and, within residential colleges, we have many recourses available to us to succeed academically. With the addition of an in-dorm classroom and a designated space for working on homework and studying, our community is reinforced with the tools necessary to go above and beyond in our academics. Almost every day in our writing class in our dorm classroom I find myself staying behind to talk with my friends and fellow students about a wide variety of academic topics such as music theory, philosophy, media and the entertainment industry, and of course the reason I’m that class, writing. Just off our lobby is our quiet lounge, this area is designated for studying and doing homework. It seems just about every day I see somebody occupying the room, reading a book or writing a paper on their laptop, and I occasionally see groups of students in there studying or collaborating on a class project.

A residential college brings together students from many different backgrounds but with a common goal, to let those with similar interests collaborate and make the collegiate experience better. We are so much more than a group of like-minded students with common interests; we are college students trying to further our education, that’s where the academic community that is created by being in a residential college comes in to play. Our wide variety of academic interest helps us both bond with each other and make stronger connections. After all, college is about networking and collaboration; as we enter the real world, the academic communities we form in residential colleges gives us a one-up on everyone else.