Hi friends!
I'm saddened by this, but it's almost the halfway mark for my summer internship with UGA. Sigh. All good experiences must come to an end. But I must return to the Gator Nation and get that Masters degree.
Enough sulking. Let's smile SPHE-sters! A few weeks ago, I was asked to present to the Freshman College RAs on several topics for their training week. Needless to say, I jumped at this opportunity. For the past few days I've been either presenting something to the RAs or keeping tabs on what goes on during the RA training process at UGA. On Monday, I presented "Preparing Your Wing" with their graduate supervisor, Jane Lee. It was mostly a presentation about generating creative ideas when making Door Decs for their residents, understanding the versatility of bulletin board and floor themes, and gaining knowledge of the paperwork that is needed to get their rooms and floors ready for Move-In (which is this Sunday!).
Tonight, actually, I'm talking about RA Duty and Rounds with my internship supervisor. I do have a good bit of RA Duty and Rounds experiences, and I'm sure some of the RAs would like to hear my 2 cents about the topic, but I, too, am very interested in learning how RA Duty is run within the Dept. of Housing at UGA. So let's see how it goes!
Lastly, I should be assisting in what's called "A Day in the Life", which is actually another name for "Behind Closed Doors" (at Clemson) or "Crisis Street" (at UF). All RAs, new and returning, participate in a series of scenarios that may take place on their floors during their year as an RA. Scenarios range from parental disagreement, roommate conflicts, noise violations, alcohol and drug violations, sexual assault, wild parties, suicide, eating disorders, etc. RAs are challenged to enter the scenario and used their training knowledge and best judgment to act accordingly. Staff and their fellow RAs are always there to assist and support them throughout this process.
Oh yeah! NACURH 2010 should be coming to a close in UC San Diego. I wanted to go like BAD, but alas I was unable to because of the internship obligations. All the more reason to make absolutely sure that working closely with RHA and Hall Governments is a big or semi-big part of my entry-level position description next year. (Note: NACURH is the National Association of College and University Residence Halls. It's a national conference held every summer at a member college or university of higher education for students in Residence Hall or Resident Student Associations (RHAs/RSAs) as well as National Residence Hall Honoraries (NRHHs). In UF's case, IRHA, the Inter-Residence Hall Association, is a member.)
And one small change to a previous blog post. My programming idea "My FCSE Project" was not taken well by a few folks, so I've decided to tweek it a bit and make an electronic yearbook for the FCSE folks to take at the end of the summer. Let's see if I can sharpen my computer skills with this new project. Plus, my supervisor's new dog's name is Wendy, not Emily. I was a lil' mistaken. (Still wanted Vuitton, though.)
Oh! And one more thing. I'm kinda hooked on HBO's True Blood, thanks to my supervisor and her BFF. It's about time HBO picked itself back up after dropping The Soprano's, Six Feet Under, Arliss, and of course Sex and the City. See you next week, loves! *hug*
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Saturday, June 19, 2010
RHA, Ralphel, and a Doggie (^_^)
Howdy, folks!
I'm gonna say something that may shock and disturb some of you. I think I'm falling in love...with UGA! LOL! I am not too far from hitting the one month mark, but I'm rolling over for this institution and its Student Affairs professionals. (This is the part where the Gator fans turn on me. LOL!)
In any case, I have some updates on the meetings I've been having with other people within Student Affairs here at UGA. I had the pleasure of being invited to chat with the incoming President of UGA's Residence Hall Association. Like many RHAs, it is the "voice of the residents who live on campus." If you wanna learn more about what UGA's RHA does during the year, check out their website: http://www.uga.edu/rha/index.html. I also had the opportunity to meet with the Webmaster of the upcoming South Atlantic Affiliate of Colleges and University Residence Halls (SAACURH) 2010 Conference, which is being held at, you guessed it, UGA! I wish I would have some hand in planning bits and pieces of the conference, or even get a chance to go, but alas it's not part of my internship description.
In an interesting turn of events, I also had a chance to meet with Dr. Ralphel Smith again on a one-on-one basis. Dr. Smith is a very fascinating man and I feel so privileged that he was comfortable and confident enough to share his life story, from childhood to Student Affairs professional, with me. I was a bit shocked at how much in common we both really are. We're both more like "accommodators" rather than "intimidators", we both are very relationship-oriented when working with staff members rather than expecting people to perform their jobs and that's all she wrote, and we both have mad style. (^_^) I am very much contemplating the idea of developing a great professional relationship with him as another mentor for me, one who can advise me on the personal aspects of being a Student Affairs professionals, as Kathy Hobgood from Clemson University advises me on professional and staff development and the like.
And now, the moment you've all been waiting for. A list of the programs that I'm planning for Freshman College! Fresh out of the oven, too! (^_^)
Italian Ice Kick-Off
3 on 3 Volleyball Tourney and BBQ
Game Night Bonanza
Dawg-O (It's really Bingo with UGA-related prizes)
The Bulldog Carnival
What's Your Flavor? (A dessert bar of Suno. Yes, Suno. Check out the vendor: http://www.suno-dessert.com/)
Movie Nights
"Midterms are Over" Pool Party
Cool River Tubing in Helen, GA
The "My FCSE" Video Project
Flashback Dance Party
UGA Jeopardy
Moonlite Breakfast
Anti-Stress Night (Relaxation Before Finals)
Oh! And on a different note, my internship supervisor just adopting a lil' dog today! She is precious. I think she's gonna name her Emily. I was shooting for Vuitton, but oh well. (^_^) Pictures of her and my other adventures at UGA are forthcoming! Stay tuned! Ta!
~Stevie.
I'm gonna say something that may shock and disturb some of you. I think I'm falling in love...with UGA! LOL! I am not too far from hitting the one month mark, but I'm rolling over for this institution and its Student Affairs professionals. (This is the part where the Gator fans turn on me. LOL!)
In any case, I have some updates on the meetings I've been having with other people within Student Affairs here at UGA. I had the pleasure of being invited to chat with the incoming President of UGA's Residence Hall Association. Like many RHAs, it is the "voice of the residents who live on campus." If you wanna learn more about what UGA's RHA does during the year, check out their website: http://www.uga.edu/rha/index.html. I also had the opportunity to meet with the Webmaster of the upcoming South Atlantic Affiliate of Colleges and University Residence Halls (SAACURH) 2010 Conference, which is being held at, you guessed it, UGA! I wish I would have some hand in planning bits and pieces of the conference, or even get a chance to go, but alas it's not part of my internship description.
In an interesting turn of events, I also had a chance to meet with Dr. Ralphel Smith again on a one-on-one basis. Dr. Smith is a very fascinating man and I feel so privileged that he was comfortable and confident enough to share his life story, from childhood to Student Affairs professional, with me. I was a bit shocked at how much in common we both really are. We're both more like "accommodators" rather than "intimidators", we both are very relationship-oriented when working with staff members rather than expecting people to perform their jobs and that's all she wrote, and we both have mad style. (^_^) I am very much contemplating the idea of developing a great professional relationship with him as another mentor for me, one who can advise me on the personal aspects of being a Student Affairs professionals, as Kathy Hobgood from Clemson University advises me on professional and staff development and the like.
And now, the moment you've all been waiting for. A list of the programs that I'm planning for Freshman College! Fresh out of the oven, too! (^_^)
Italian Ice Kick-Off
3 on 3 Volleyball Tourney and BBQ
Game Night Bonanza
Dawg-O (It's really Bingo with UGA-related prizes)
The Bulldog Carnival
What's Your Flavor? (A dessert bar of Suno. Yes, Suno. Check out the vendor: http://www.suno-dessert.com/)
Movie Nights
"Midterms are Over" Pool Party
Cool River Tubing in Helen, GA
The "My FCSE" Video Project
Flashback Dance Party
UGA Jeopardy
Moonlite Breakfast
Anti-Stress Night (Relaxation Before Finals)
Oh! And on a different note, my internship supervisor just adopting a lil' dog today! She is precious. I think she's gonna name her Emily. I was shooting for Vuitton, but oh well. (^_^) Pictures of her and my other adventures at UGA are forthcoming! Stay tuned! Ta!
~Stevie.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
The Best!
Yesterday afternoon was by far one of the best intern orientation meetings I have ever encountered. (It took a whole day to post this. I needed time to absorb it all. It was that intense!) Wait, rewind for a sec. All of the UGA interns are given the opportunity to visit other offices and departments within the Division of Student Affairs at UGA. The most impactful was our meeting on Monday with Dr. Rodney Bennett, VP of Student Affairs, and two of his colleagues Dr. Thomas Burke. Assoc. VP for Student Affairs, and Dr. Jan Barham, Asst. to the VP for Assessment and Staff Development.
The representatives from the VP of Student Affairs Office shared a great amount of helpful words of wisdom and incredible insight on the Student Affairs profession. I remember Dr. Bennett commenting, "The profession selects you." Interestingly, that is very much true. Many of us who are currently in Student Affairs or making progress in entering the field never knew it existed when we were in elementary school desiring to be doctors, firefighters, and master chefs. I'm not sure if it's an undergraduate major yet, which would be amazing if it was. But eventually we do find our way at the steps of Student Affairs's home and invited in to stay.
Primarily, the important take-away from this experience is the advice given for entry-level professionals in this day in age.
"Work for the organization." - Dr. Bennett.
"Humility is important." - Dr. Bennett.
"Very little is accomplished on our own." - Dr. Burke.
"Student Affairs is institutionally defined." - Dr. Bennett.
This is only a small sample of what is important for entry-level professionals to dwell upon today. We should discover what we can do to advance the office or department we work for, not push our own ideas the moment we enter the first staff meeting. We should humble ourselves and be willing to do the "odd jobs" around the office that aren't written in the position descriptions. As Quinn Morgendorffer from "Daria" once said, "If not you, who? If not now, when?" Very little is accomplished on are own, because working in Student Affairs, and many professions, is a TEAM effort! I am a big supporter of teamwork, collaboration, and partnerships, and hope many other soon-to-be entry-level professionals of my generation are the same. Lastly, the conceptualization of what Student Affairs itself is can be very different from institution to institution. It's important to hone in on what Student Affairs mean at the university we work with and decipher it rather than maintaining one definition from our grad school days. Student Affairs, as with many things, evolve and expand with age.
There is SO much more that I can say about this particular meeting with members of the VP of Student Affairs Office, but I think it may be a little overwhelming. Very powerful stuff!
Until the next posting! (^_^)
The representatives from the VP of Student Affairs Office shared a great amount of helpful words of wisdom and incredible insight on the Student Affairs profession. I remember Dr. Bennett commenting, "The profession selects you." Interestingly, that is very much true. Many of us who are currently in Student Affairs or making progress in entering the field never knew it existed when we were in elementary school desiring to be doctors, firefighters, and master chefs. I'm not sure if it's an undergraduate major yet, which would be amazing if it was. But eventually we do find our way at the steps of Student Affairs's home and invited in to stay.
Primarily, the important take-away from this experience is the advice given for entry-level professionals in this day in age.
"Work for the organization." - Dr. Bennett.
"Humility is important." - Dr. Bennett.
"Very little is accomplished on our own." - Dr. Burke.
"Student Affairs is institutionally defined." - Dr. Bennett.
This is only a small sample of what is important for entry-level professionals to dwell upon today. We should discover what we can do to advance the office or department we work for, not push our own ideas the moment we enter the first staff meeting. We should humble ourselves and be willing to do the "odd jobs" around the office that aren't written in the position descriptions. As Quinn Morgendorffer from "Daria" once said, "If not you, who? If not now, when?" Very little is accomplished on are own, because working in Student Affairs, and many professions, is a TEAM effort! I am a big supporter of teamwork, collaboration, and partnerships, and hope many other soon-to-be entry-level professionals of my generation are the same. Lastly, the conceptualization of what Student Affairs itself is can be very different from institution to institution. It's important to hone in on what Student Affairs mean at the university we work with and decipher it rather than maintaining one definition from our grad school days. Student Affairs, as with many things, evolve and expand with age.
There is SO much more that I can say about this particular meeting with members of the VP of Student Affairs Office, but I think it may be a little overwhelming. Very powerful stuff!
Until the next posting! (^_^)
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Hey, Soul Sister!
Well, it's official. One work week of the internship down and my supervisor and I already have a theme song together. That's right! Train's "Hey, Soul Sister." Now every time we ride around Athens or listen to what's playing in the dining halls, we'll break out into karaoke. It is THE song! (But so is Lady Ga-Ga's "Telephone", Ke$ha's "Your Love is My Drug", and Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now".) The funny part of this is that some of the interns don't favor the song, so we tease them about that. LOL! All in all, I found this to be a GREAT start to a long-lasting friendship with a fellow Student Affairs colleague. Kara rocks!
A lot has taken place since I first started working in my office in Russell Hall. Most of my time has been spent visiting other offices and departments within UGA Student Affairs, such as the Office of Judicial Programs, Office for Violence Prevention, Center for Leadership and Service, and my fave so far Residence Hall Education and Services. (I'm so into Housing!) I'm very hopeful that my fellow graduate colleagues and other summer interns are given the opportunity to at least tour the many offices and departments that make up the Division of Student Affairs at their respective institutions. It's a great way to learn so much more about the institution, on top of the fun to be had at their internship positions. There is still MUCH more to cover in the next few days and I can't wait to meet the folks from the LGBT Resource Center, the Tate Student Center, the Career Center, and of course the Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs.
So an update on what I, myself, and doing at UGA. As a recap, I'm working as an ACUHO-I intern with the Freshman College Summer Experience (FCSE). This is a partnership between UGA Academic Enhancement and the Department of University Housing where incoming first-year students are given the chance to move-in and take classes within the later summer session for course credit. It gets better! These particular students get a chance to sample the UGA culture, learn more about college life sooner, and get a chance to sink their teeth into Bulldog territory inside and outside of the classroom. That's where I and my programming initiatives come in! I'm sitting on about 15 programs total and am so excited to see them unfold in July! (No, I won't share with you what those programs are just yet. I'll have to surprise you!)
Within all position descriptions there's always the "other duties as described by supervisor" disclaimer or some variation thereof. That's always a fun statement in Housing. On top of working with the FCSE this summer, I also get a chance to dabble in Conference Services within my building. (Choice!) In addition, I have the esteem pleasure to present to the Resident Assistants specifically hired to work with the residents in Freshman College. (Wicked!) I'll also get a chance to pick the brains of MANY of the big wigs in Housing (Rick Gibson, Ralphel Smith, and Gerry Kowalski, just to name a few) and the president of UGA's Residence Hall Association (RHA for short). (Rockin'!) It may sound like a lot now, but I've been working in Housing for about 4 years now. And yes I still adore it!
Whew! That's A LOT for a one-week update, and I haven't even gotten around to my summer reading list. It'll get done. Trust!
Later days! (^_^)
A lot has taken place since I first started working in my office in Russell Hall. Most of my time has been spent visiting other offices and departments within UGA Student Affairs, such as the Office of Judicial Programs, Office for Violence Prevention, Center for Leadership and Service, and my fave so far Residence Hall Education and Services. (I'm so into Housing!) I'm very hopeful that my fellow graduate colleagues and other summer interns are given the opportunity to at least tour the many offices and departments that make up the Division of Student Affairs at their respective institutions. It's a great way to learn so much more about the institution, on top of the fun to be had at their internship positions. There is still MUCH more to cover in the next few days and I can't wait to meet the folks from the LGBT Resource Center, the Tate Student Center, the Career Center, and of course the Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs.
So an update on what I, myself, and doing at UGA. As a recap, I'm working as an ACUHO-I intern with the Freshman College Summer Experience (FCSE). This is a partnership between UGA Academic Enhancement and the Department of University Housing where incoming first-year students are given the chance to move-in and take classes within the later summer session for course credit. It gets better! These particular students get a chance to sample the UGA culture, learn more about college life sooner, and get a chance to sink their teeth into Bulldog territory inside and outside of the classroom. That's where I and my programming initiatives come in! I'm sitting on about 15 programs total and am so excited to see them unfold in July! (No, I won't share with you what those programs are just yet. I'll have to surprise you!)
Within all position descriptions there's always the "other duties as described by supervisor" disclaimer or some variation thereof. That's always a fun statement in Housing. On top of working with the FCSE this summer, I also get a chance to dabble in Conference Services within my building. (Choice!) In addition, I have the esteem pleasure to present to the Resident Assistants specifically hired to work with the residents in Freshman College. (Wicked!) I'll also get a chance to pick the brains of MANY of the big wigs in Housing (Rick Gibson, Ralphel Smith, and Gerry Kowalski, just to name a few) and the president of UGA's Residence Hall Association (RHA for short). (Rockin'!) It may sound like a lot now, but I've been working in Housing for about 4 years now. And yes I still adore it!
Whew! That's A LOT for a one-week update, and I haven't even gotten around to my summer reading list. It'll get done. Trust!
Later days! (^_^)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
