SEAHO Report - Summer 2024 - 28

People I Can RELI On
By Zach Roberson, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
My time at Regional Entry Level Institute (RELI) 2024 was my best career experience so far. I originally applied
in 2023 after learning about the program during an informational session at the 2023 Annual Conference. Like
many others, I did not get into the program on my first try. While disappointed, it was an opportunity to grow
personally and professionally. After a year of hard work and learning, I did not think I needed the experience
from RELI. The day before the application was due, I told my partner I didn't want to apply. I thought
someone else in the field could get more from the experience. " You won't take it for granted, that means you
should apply. " I'm paraphrasing my partner, but the message is there. I cried when I received the email from
the Co-Chairs on April 5th.
I could easily go through my presentation notes and give you a synopsis, but this article is not about " What I
learned while attending RELI. " In housing, we are " people-people " . The interactions are the takeaways you
should know about. My two goals at RELI were to learn from others and to make connections. The Associate
Director of my department is very connected to the SEAHO Region, so I have met many people through her.
RELI gave me a chance to make my own connections. Each connection is something that I will carry forward,
but I want to focus on four people.
The two Co-Chairs, April and Wesley, were amazing to work with from the first day I was accepted. Many
emails were sent between my email and reli@seaho.org. The co-chairs helped navigate travel planning,
scholarships, payment, and everything else I could ask. Each email was met with a willingness to help and
a quick response. Prior to arrival, I posted in our RELI Cohort GroupMe, " I am so excited for RELI. With a
busy summer coming up, it is going to be a huge breath of fresh air. " My quote was included in our opening
presentation. While I did not mention it to April or Wesley, having my quote featured helped me dive into the
week without hesitation. I learned from the faculty during their sessions, but the session on " life after liveon "
helped me with life planning. At the end of the week, over tears, April told me to reach out if I needed
anything and Wesley texted me afterward to thank me for the card and reminded me to " keep that dog in me
ready and fed. " The RELI co-chairs will be a great resource for you. I took everything in and I am thankful to
have worked with them this year.
I am very reserved. I keep to myself most of the time and I
struggle to open up in new groups. When I walked up to Room
404 and saw Hayden's name on the door, I found comfort that
I was rooming with the only participant I knew. Hayden and I
have connected a few times prior to RELI. While we did not meet
formally until SEAHO 2024, Hayden and I briefly overlapped in
a former institution. He was the first person I saw when I arrived
in Raleigh for RELI and one of the last people with whom I spoke
before departing. His knowledge, demeanor, and humor were
welcoming and helped me open up. The 404 guys spent many
nights talking about life, work, and anything else. I could not
have imagined the relationships I built with my roommates. I am
unsure if those relationships would have happened as quickly as
they did without Hayden.
The last person I need to talk about is my Cluster leader,
Sarah. The encouragement from Sarah started in our first
email communication. I never felt like my experience was less
important than any other person in our Cluster. While thinking
about people on whom I could rely after my experience,
28
(Room 404: Trint, Court, Hayden, and Zach)

SEAHO Report - Summer 2024

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