Every year two resident assistants are honored for their hard work aiding fellow students who live on campus. At the Fall Resident Assistant Banquet, two seniors were named the 2013 Resident Assistants of the Year.
Jacob Currier and Jessica Weaver both began their time as Resident Assistants in fall 2011. Currier served as an RA in Zachary Taylor Hall (2011-2012) and Cardinal Newman (2013-present), and Weaver served as an RA in Tangipahoa Hall (2011-2012) and Greek Village (2012- present).
“I’m proud to lead the Southeastern University Housing Residential Life team, which chooses the Southeastern Candidates most qualified for Housing awards,” said Amanda Robbins, the assistant director of residential life with University Housing. “We felt that Jacob and Jessica’s outstanding service over the past year was Resident Assistant of the Year worthy.”  
According to Robin Parker, director of marketing and strategic initiatives in Auxiliary Services, each Resident Assistant is selected for their leadership, experience, training, scholarship and desire to help students. The RA is usually an upperclassman or a graduate student who is familiar with campus and on-campus residential facilities. Each RA is responsible for approximately 40 residents.
“Jessica is the Committee Chair of the Resident Assistant Recruitment Committee, which is responsible for organizing and presenting recruitment events for Resident Assistant Candidates, Group Interviews, promotional materials, etc.,” said Robbins. “Jessica has attended multiple state RA Conferences, the Equipping Resident Assistants Conference and presented at trainings and staff meetings as a lead resident assistant. She is active with her sorority Theta Phi Alpha and more.”
Weaver, the 2013 Female RA of the Year, graduated with her bachelor’s in business in December 2013 and is returning as a graduate student in pursuit of her MBA in business.
“My experience as a Resident Assistant as a whole has been an amazing one,” said Weaver. “I have been able to develop my professional and leadership skills and met friends that I will have for the rest of my life. I enjoy hanging out with my staff members, the professional staff and our office staff. It is like a family, and I have many different resources I can turn to.”
As a member of the University Housing staff, the RA has a variety of responsibilities, including but not limited to, developing programs for their floor/section, assisting with UH sponsored events and duty rotations. The RA works closely with the Area Coordinator staff and UPD to ensure the safety of all residential students.
“As a resident assistant, my duty is to ensure the safety of all of the residents in the residence hall,” said Weaver. “I work office hours every week, and I am on duty one night out of the week and one weekend every month. Resident Assistants also conduct Health and Safety inspections once a month and check residents in and out of the residence hall.”
Weaver noted, however, that the job does has occasional difficult moments, such as when the RA receives late night calls that sometimes last a few hours. Despite these moments, she considers the job “very fun and rewarding.”  
The 2013 Male RA of the Year, Currier, is a second generation Southeastern student and RA. His mother attended the university and served as an RA in Zachary Taylor Hall in the late 1970s.
“[I became a resident assistant] to be a mentor to the underclass men and to help them adjust to college life, to keep the peace in the halls and to be the connection between residents and the housing office,” said Currier.
His favorite moments as an RA include hanging out with the other RA’s, especially during training weeks and holding late night paint parties to finish hall decorations. In addition, Currier noted moments when being a RA posed challenges, such as helping keep water off the basketball court at the University Center with the Hurricane Staff last year.
“He is a vital part of the Departmental Programming Committee, which plans University Housing’s campus wide programs such as Oktoberfest, Fais Do Do Crawfish Boil and Backyard Bash,” said Robbins. “Jacob is a second generation Southeastern student; he has a love for all things historical about our campus. Jacob encourages us to celebrate milestones such as the 50th anniversary of Zachary Taylor Hall, the re-opening of Cardinal Newman, etc. He is very active within the Catholic Student Association and Intramurals. Jacob shows care for his individual residents and does a great job of encouraging them to get involved and develop a personal relationship with Southeastern.”
 “I know there are many of our RAs who are just as deserving or more than I,” said Currier. “It has been a joy working in the housing office. I believe that we have more fun than all the other offices on campus.”
Anyone interested in becoming a resident assistant should call the University Housing office for more information. RA candidates are required to enroll in Education 204, a course designed for students to learn the duties, responsibilities and benefits of serving as a Resident Assistant.