OKWUeagle.com

Megan Mueller
OKWUeagle.com staff writer

Andrew Hawk, sophomore, is a current Peer Advisor. Next year Peer Advisors will be called Student Mentors. (Hannah Hopkins / OKWUeagle.com)

The season is here again.

It’s time for encouraging, creative and self-sacrificing leaders to share their lives with the Oklahoma Wesleyan University student body by being Student Mentors (previously known as Peer Advisors) and Resident Assistants.

Each year 24 student applicants are chosen to be Student Mentors for the freshmen and transfer classes. In a separate selection process, 12 students are chosen to be the Resident Assistants.

Student Mentors play a major role in the lives of incoming students by providing a place for relationships to be built through weekly Bible studies and time to get to know other students throughout the year.

Jordan Brazda, junior, served as a Peer Advisor during the 2009-2010 school year.

“I really enjoyed meeting all the new students at the beginning of student orientation,” Brazda said.

Everyone has a different reason for wanting to be a student leader.

“I wanted to be a PA because it was a great way to get to know the freshmen,” Brazda said, “I loved my group of students.”

At the beginning of the school year, Student Mentors and new students get to know each other through New Student Orientation activities such as Eagle Week, student retreats and student and faculty dinners.

The 2010-2011 Student Mentors will play a valuable role in helping incoming freshman with their transition to college. Laughter follows this group wherever they go! (Jessica Kingery / www.jk_images.com)

Though the position name will be changed from Peer Advisor to Student Mentor for the 2010-2011 academic year, Student Mentors will still be recognized as leaders among students and are available to help new students get better acquainted with the school, students and college life.

Resident Advisors are equally important in helping new and previous students make the most of their time at OKWU. Similar to Student Mentors, RAs impact student’s lives in countless ways.

Sheresa Grate, junior, is the current RA of lower Susannah Wesley Hall.

“When I was a freshmen and sophomore I had great RAs,” says Grate. “They put so much work into activities for our floor and were great people to talk to about anything.”

Grate wanted to be able to do the same thing for the women on her residence hall floor.

Resident Assistants are the first responders to emergency situations that may arise in the halls and are also responsible for planning monthly activities for their floors, making rounds on designated duty nights they choose, being available to help students with various requests and being involved with or planning most all-campus activities.

The 2009-2010 RA staff is not all business, there's plenty of room for fun and games in this position! (Jessica Kingery / www.jk_images.com)

Jentry Blain, junior, is the Resident Assistant of upper Scott Hall this year.

“The interaction with students on my floor and getting to meet all the new students during the beginning of school is my favorite part about being an RA,” Blain said.

The ability of Resident Assistants to build relationships and interact with all the students on their floor is an ability members of the RA staff must possess. This is one of the ways RAs participate in the overall student retention efforts of OKWU.

While definitely rewarding, being an RA should know it is not always easy.

“It isn’t always easy – especially when you have a lot of homework and it seems like you have duty every night, but the rewards are greater than the sacrifice,” Grate said. “Really pray about it and make sure it is something you want to commit to.”

Kaylee VanDyke, junior, is one of 12 Resident Assistants this year. (Hannah Hopkins / OKWUeagle.com)

The opportunity to have a positive impact on the lives of students is worth the sacrifice for those students willing to live up to the label of “leader” on campus.

Lastly, a word to the wise from Grate on being an RA, “Never refer to the residence halls as “dorms,” otherwise JJ Veale (Director of Residential Life) might have to fire you! Just kidding… but seriously … don’t use the ‘d’ word!”

Student Mentor applications are available in Student Academic Services and are due by Monday, February 15th at 5pm.

Resident Assistant applications are available online at OKWUeagle.com and in the Student Life Office and are due by Monday, February 15th at 5 p.m. to JJ Veale, Director of Residential Life.