Lethbridge College is using a new program to help students living in residence have a calmer transition into their student life.
The college door knocking program will see the Residence Advisors team taking the time to go to the residence houses and talk to the students. This helps ensure students are more accustomed to seeing RA’s and feel more comfortable talking to them.
The RA’s are a group of eight students working together with the college to assist the residence and students living there. At the beginning of first semester the RA’s went door to door and introduced themselves as they handed out the roommate agreements.
Students that are moving away from home for the first time can find the transition very difficult. Knowing the RA’s are there for the students can help them feel calmer.
The Resident and Guest Services Coordinator for Lethbridge College, Tamas Virag spoke on what this program means for the college.
“We wanted to make people connected on campus,” said Virag.
Virag said this is not the first year that LC has wanted to use this program. This year though, the RA group has the type of personality that fit the program the best.
In years past there has been a stigma surrounding the RA’s and what their job around the college actually is. Virag spoke on how there is hope with this program the people will start to learn that RA’s are not authority figures but just here to keep students safe and feeling secure.
“The best way to that is kind of a face-to-face relationship with the RA’s and for them to build a community themselves and make good relationships with the students,” said Virag.
Blake Flora, Resident Advisor at the college spoke on how this program will benefit the students.
“Us going and knocking on the door introducing ourselves in a friendly manor lets them know we are not here as party crashers. We’re here to make sure their experience on residence is as good as it can be,” said Flora.
He talked about how he believes this will help the students and help create a stronger connection that will help build trust between RA’s and students.
As a second-year student, he has already noticed the change in how people are perceiving the RA’s on campus and seem much friendlier towards them.