Residence Life Receives 2023 Program of the Year Award

Residence Life provides a living, learning environment that fosters academic and personal growth to help students prepare for college and beyond. Living on campus is an engaging way to meet new people, make new friends, and engage in fun and exciting events at Seton Hall. Residence Life recently received the 2023 Division of Student Services Program of the Year Award. On December 18, 2023, Vice President Monica Burnette, Ph.D. interviewed the Department of Residence Life members on their recognition. 

Team members included Assistant Directors of Residence Life, Kendra Sherman and DJ Schuck, and Evan Royds and Sarah Rohleder, Area Coordinators for the First Year Area (FYA) and Upperclassmen Area (UCA), respectively. 

What do you find most rewarding about working in Residence Life?

Kendra: I think the most rewarding part of working in Residence Life is the fact that you never know when you might be making a difference. Every once in a while, a student will share how grateful they are that you answered their question, walked them to Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS), provided a listening ear, etc. These instances remind me that the impact I am making might not be visible to me all the time, but I am positively contributing to the community on campus and helping students on their journey.

DJ: Working in Residence Life is about creating a home for our students. We don't just say "Home at the Hall" – we purposefully create it through our intentional interactions, community-building events, and commitment to the holistic development of each student in our residential community. This department has really become my own home.

Evan: Working in Residence Life allows me to partner with our wonderful campus partners, which I find particularly rewarding.

Sarah: One of my most dearly-held values is hospitality, so I feel honored to cultivate that sense of home in our community every day. I also love the everyday moments when the RAs stop by my office to catch up, and I have the opportunity to speak a little encouragement into their day.

What are three words to describe the mission of Residence Life?

Kendra: Holistic, intentional, and inclusive.

DJ: Purposeful, holistic, and welcoming.

What is The First 56 Days, and why is it a meaningful way to build community at Seton Hall?

Kendra: The First 56 Days starts at the beginning of the fall semester, where the campus comes together to provide various events and opportunities for students to feel welcome. Beyond that, these activities and programs help students explore their passions, provide them the spaces to try new things, and better understand how they want to spend their time here at Seton Hall. The first two months of a first-year's experience on campus are essential periods where they try to find their footing and establish a home away from home. The First 56 Days provide them with a variety of safe and welcoming opportunities to do that.

What were some memorable Residence Life programs this past semester?

Evan: We've been very proud of our campus partner collaborative programs this Fall semester in the First Year Area (FYA). Through a collaboration with Dean Turon and Dare to Care, RA Skylar Smith put on the 'Succulent Making' program to help her residents de-stress and learn more about mental health resources on campus. RAs Jimmy Gifford and Nicholas Morgan partnered with the Office of International Programs to host a Global Trivia Night.

Sarah: The Upperclassmen Area (UCA) residence halls came together to host the inaugural Fall Fest in the walkway outside the Complex as a welcome back from fall break—and about 150 residents came through to paint a pumpkin, snack on a munchkin, and chat with KNOW MORE about healthy dating habits. It was inspiring to see that space come alive because it's such a thoroughfare on campus, and we had not utilized it heavily before, so the program established a sense of vibrancy in the UCA.

RA Fatima also created an Ofrenda (offering) for Xavier Hall to honor our community's lost loved ones during Dia de los Muertos. She gathered traditional items such as pan de muerto and marigolds. Dozens of Xavier community members—not only residents but even our professional and Facilities staff—shared photos for the Ofrenda. It was such a magical show of community and culture.

How do RAs contribute to fostering a "home away from home"?

DJ: RAs represent our mission. They are intentional in how they interact with students and understand how to build community in our residence halls that make our residential students feel like they are comfortable, safe, and truly home.

What does it mean to you for Residence Life to be recognized for its programming?

Kendra: It means a lot to us because we put so much time and energy into holistically developing our residential students. We do this in many ways, one of them being through our programming efforts. We take pride in the fact that our RAs get to know their residents on an individual level and then can take their residents' passions, needs and desires and develop programs that meet those things. Programming is just one of the many ways we strive to make our halls a place for residents to call their home away from home. I am very proud of our professional staff and RAs, who have put so much time and energy into creating programs that the entire Division has recognized.

Evan: Any chance we can help each of our students build a Home at the Hall for themselves is greatly rewarding. We greatly appreciate the recognition and look forward to continuing our momentum through this year and beyond.

What are some of Residence Life's future initiatives?

Kendra: Both the FYA and UCA are working to establish large annual events that students can look forward to every year, such as UCA Fall Fest or FYA Mental Health Awareness Week. We are working to implement a new comprehensive programming curriculum that provides RAs the flexibility to curate their programs to residents' needs and passions but also tend to all aspects of student development: academic, social, emotional, spiritual, and physical.

Evan: The winter season can be a difficult time for our students. In the First Year Area, our team is eager to help foster healthy habits and engage our residents in self-care and mental health awareness. We are excited to collaborate with our partners at CAPS and the Dean of Students Office in this effort.

Sarah: Following the success of the UCA Fall Fest, we aspire to host an equally memorable event in the Spring semester to continue bringing vibrancy to the UCA. We aim to utilize the lawn and the space across from Turrell for a "Rep Your Flag" Block Party—where residents will celebrate their identities and cultures together. These area-wide programs were key features of our year-long goal to create a lively identity in the UCA, and with such successful programs so far this year, I am eager to see how our programming continues to feed into that goal we share as an area.

How can one learn more about Residence Life?

To learn more about Residence Life, visit Department of Housing and Residence Life, email, or call (973) 761-9172.

Categories: Campus Life