SEAHO Report - Spring 2024 - 25

3.
Ask what services or programs a Corporate Partner offers.
You never know what a Corporate Partner may have to offer if you never ask, so ask. It may be that one
service or product that your campus needs and you can collect information and return to your institution
to share with others. Speak with a Corporate Partner and process through some of the opportunities and
return to your campus with an idea in hand. You have the opportunity to do the same whether that be with
furniture, software, or another service.
Let's provide an example of how these tips apply to Corporate Partner relationships: institutions are looking
towards staff apartments as not just being a part of the compensation package but also as a recruitment and
retention tool. How might we solve that problem? Seeking out the guidance of a Corporate Partner.
According to Terri, the rental program started as far back as 2010 with Case Western Reserve being one
of the first to rent furniture for their staff but the program grew around 2015 when Terri and Gavin Roark,
Executive Director of Residential Life and Housing at Virginia Commonwealth University, worked together;
they both were sharing their experiences as entry level live-in professionals. With staff apartments usually a
form of compensation for live-in staff, the conversation shifted towards a need to improve the value added of
that benefit because not only is it part of compensation for a live-in staff member, but it is where professional
staff call their home and want to truly create their own living environment. Here we see an example of a
reciprocal relationship built between a Corporate Partner and a Housing Professional.
An institution can rent from CORT and decide on all furniture or set a budget for their staff to manage and
allow them to select their own furniture from a listing of furniture options provided by CORT. When a staff
member may be looking to leave the institution, they can purchase any or all of the rented furniture and take
it with them on their next adventure or for their first off-campus housing experience. Any remaining furniture
goes back to the company. Terri shared that the program has been beneficial for live-in staff because they
love the program and having the ability to pick their own furniture. It makes professionals feel valued by their
institution and gives a sense of comfort in styling their own space as this is where they will be living for the
foreseeable future.
Their company started the program nearly 15 years ago and has expanded to 70+ institutions. Who knew at
the time that a Housing Professional and Corporate Partner from conversations talking about how to provide
a better experience for staff would lead to what it is today. This shows the value of speaking with Corporate
Partners and fostering relationships and one of the easiest ways to do that is by educating yourself. Even as a
Corporate Partner, Terri is still focused on education, because once a res-lifer, always a res-lifer.
If there is anything to take away from reading this article, it is that in the expansion of your professional
network, as you navigate conference sessions and meet new people, meeting a Corporate Partner should
be on that networking list as well. I know it can be a bit intimidating and challenging but the best way to
overcome that apprehension is to view it as an educational opportunity, not just for you but for a Corporate
Partner as well.
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SEAHO Report - Spring 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of SEAHO Report - Spring 2024