SEAHO Report - Winter 2022 - 47

FEATURE ARTICLES
Perspectives of a Virtual RELI
Christal Southern, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Aubree Adams, Louisiana State University
Participant Perspective
Ever since my time as a graduate student within residence life, full-time professionals would rave of their
Regional Entry Level Institute (RELI) experience and how impactful it was to their careers as professionals. You
can imagine my excitement when the opportunity to apply for RELI became available during my first year as
a full-time, entry-level professional. RELI is a week-long program designed for entry-level professionals within
residence life and housing. During this week, people attending the RELI conference would come together at
the host institution for a time of learning, relationship building, and fun. Although I was excited about the
opportunity to be a part of RELI this year, part of me was nervous and worried about my experience being
virtual. Would I still be able to make connections with other people virtually? How can this experience be fun
through a screen?
The week before RELI was scheduled to start, I was welcomed with
two packages and an introduction email from my cluster leader.
Both packages consisted of RELI swag items and the RELI focus
book: Energy Bus by Jen Gordon, preparing me for the week
ahead. Each person in RELI was assigned a cluster group with a
RELI faculty leader. Within minutes of meeting the people within my
cluster group, we all realized we had a love for our dogs! From this
realization, our group identity was born. We called ourselves Ruff Housing and included pictures of our dogs
in almost every group introduction (see first picture below). Not to mention, our theme song was, Who Let
the Dogs Out by Baha Men. What better way to celebrate our love for both dogs and housing? Throughout
the week, we were also given the opportunity to dress in different
themes to continue to celebrate our team connection.
Of course, in honor of the movie Mean Girls, our group proudly
wore pink on Wednesday during the week of RELI (see second
picture below). Cluster groups were one of the most memorable
parts of my virtual experience. The vulnerable conversations that
were cultivated during our times of reflection were refreshing and
at moments challenging. Our group conversations reminded me
that I wasn't alone. I was reminded that there were other entrylevel
housing professionals that were going through similar issues
related to stress on their jobs. Since RELI occurred at the end
of the 2020-2021 academic year, like me, many RELI attendees
were burnt out from their work with COVID-19. Having a group of
colleagues to talk with, share ideas with and cast a vision with was
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SEAHO Report - Winter 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of SEAHO Report - Winter 2022

Contents
SEAHO Report - Winter 2022 - 1
SEAHO Report - Winter 2022 - Contents
SEAHO Report - Winter 2022 - 3
SEAHO Report - Winter 2022 - 4
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2024fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2024summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2024spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2024winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2023fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2023summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2023spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2023winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2022winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2021fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2021summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2021spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2021winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2020holiday
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2020fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2020spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2020winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2019fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2019summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2019spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2019winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2018fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2018summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2018spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2018winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2017summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2017spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2017winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2016fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2016summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2016spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2016winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2015fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2015summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2015spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2015winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2014fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2014spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2014winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/50thanniversary
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2013fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2013summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2013spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2013winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2012fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2012summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/2012winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/seaho/spring2011
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com