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Marketing
Utilizing high-traffic time to promote programs occurring in the first 6 weeks is crucial. In the past in both firstyear
and upperclassmen falls, I had flyers advertising the building welcome programs, first-floor meetings,
and first RA programs at move-in. I took time during the summer and during fall training to ensure programs
were planned to be ready to implement when students arrived. This also gives residents an immediate way to
engage with their community without much effort on their part. I noticed a high turnout when it was promoted
this way because residents planned to come to hall programs despite having the choice to attend other
campus welcome programs. Additionally, multi-channel marketing was prioritized. I scheduled emails to go
out multiple times a week, had RAs share flyers in their floor group chats, encouraged other student leaders
living in the building to promote progress through word of mouth, and had flyers hanging throughout highly
visible areas in the building.
Provide a Variety of Programming
Providing a variety of programming allows you to connect with as many residents as possible. One way we
accomplished this was with a Week of Welcome model. I collaborated with my Co- Hall Directors to host a
week of programming right after move-in that appealed to a variety of interests including yoga on the green,
first-day photos, a " Welcome Home " block party, charcuterie, and a taco bar. Each program was hosted by a
different hall director throughout the week. This helped residents get to know the Hall Director's staff as well
as have the option to opt into any programs offered.
Prioritize Presence
The Hall Director's presence is crucial during these first weeks. This allows residents to get to know you as
a community builder and leader. Oftentimes, residents' first encounter with the Hall Director is during a
meeting or roommate mediation. If you establish yourself as a leader who is involved in social and educational
programming from the beginning, addressing conflicts and conducting situations later in the semester tends
to be easier. A few ways you can do this is by collaborating with your RA staff to create their first program,
hosting a community-wide Lunch and Learn about campus resources, or hosting a " Coffee with the HD "
meet-n-greet where students can choose how much they want to engage. Another great strategy is to go to
large-scale campus welcome events or student organization fairs with your RAs and a few residents to spend
time building community outside the hall.
Secure RA Buy-in
RA training is the best time to utilize building a strong community with your RA staff. Taking time to learn
about their interests, strengths, and areas of growth can inform how you guide them through creating their
floor community. More specifically, I had an RA who was extremely stressed about completing all their
administrative tasks during the first month of the semester. Since I took time during training to understand
their competing priorities and communication styles, I wrote up a plan for them that included deadlines
and strategies to combine various administrative tasks. Showing them that their resident interactions could
be completed while conducting roommate agreements allowed them to save time scheduling additional
meetings. Showing them how to glean programming ideas through first floor meeting activities also helped
them feel less overwhelmed. This created a supportive environment for my RA and allowed them to translate
that support to their community and be more intentional with their work.
Encouraging your RAs to infuse connection building informed by their working style and interests into
required meetings and tasks is an optimal way to get their buy-in. This also helps them feel empowered to
personalize these requirements and take ownership of their community.
Instilling a sense of agency in your RAs is key to securing their buy-in for larger community-building initiatives
you want to implement.
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SEAHO Report - Summer 2024

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