As first-year students, transitioning to college life can be exciting and stressful. Living independently, leaving behind close friends, family and beloved pets at home, and stepping into an unfamiliar environment can feel daunting. However, to ease this transitioning process, students receive support from Resident Advisors (RAs), Colloquium Associates (CAs) and Opening Days (OD) Leaders. Each year — with 2025-26 applications having just finished — students have the opportunity to apply for RA, CA and OD leader positions, but each of them has its own unique responsibilities and requirements.
The first people to welcome new students on campus are OD Leaders. Their main responsibilities include guiding first-year students, helping them settle into their rooms, and supporting them during their first week. Each first year is placed in a small group led by an OD Leader, who organizes activities, gives presentations, and ensures students attend scheduled events.
“The training at first was a lot of hours, but after that, it was mostly just hanging out with students, which was fun,” shared Cassie Thomas (’27), an OD Leader in 2024. “It wasn’t too much actual work, and the training was really helpful.” She noted that the biggest time commitment was arriving early for training, but during Opening Days, the role mainly involved helping students settle in a new place. Despite the time investment, Cassie found the experience rewarding, adding that OD Leaders earn about $500, though the experience itself was more valuable to her.
At the start of college, every first year takes a college colloquium course, which begins a week before regular classes. Some courses remain the same every year, but they also change as professors choose other topics to teach. A college Colloquium Associate is a position that keeps students engaged in academics and helps them develop their teaching and organizational skills. CAs’ responsibilities include supporting faculty with course planning and materials and helping students with assignments, research and group work. They also serve as mentors to students, navigating them through academic plans, career advice or personal development.
The CA hiring process consists of two steps: an application form and an interview. While prior discussions with a professor aren’t required before applying, it’s worth considering which faculty members you’d be excited to collaborate with. “You apply generally, just expressing interest. During the interview, they ask if there’s a professor you’d like to work with,” explained Aidan Sowder-Sinor (’27), a 2024 Colloquium Associate for the colloquium “Putin’s Wars.” His process was smoother since he had a professor Sarah Bishop who wanted to work with him. However, the role isn’t without challenges. “It’s a time commitment — it’s real work, not something simple or easy. You never know what will come up during the semester, but you have to be ready for it,” Sowder-Sinor emphasized.
People who become long-term support during the academic year are RAs. Applications for this position typically open at the end of October and close by mid-November. It can be highly competitive, and this year, only one new RA was hired. One of the most attractive perks of being an RA is receiving a free single room and meal plan. The main duties include two hours of staff meetings and two hours of community service each week, along with an additional roughly two hours for planning and attending monthly events. RAs also have duty shifts, or times they are on-call for things such as lockouts and emergencies. RAs are on duty around once per week, and duty shifts run from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. on weeknights and 24-hour shifts from 5 p.m. to 5 p.m. on weekend nights.
"My employer told me after the interview, 'We can teach people how to be an RA, but we can't teach them how to be a good person, how to genuinely care for others,'" said Christina Wesel (’27), RA of Terra House. Beyond organizational skills, it’s essential to have a genuine willingness to care for others and a desire to help, especially if you enjoy being someone others can rely on. Wesel shared that she applied for the position because she could personally relate to the experiences of those she would be helping: "I had just gone through it the year before, and I wanted to support others going through that transition." She highlighted that first-year students often face challenges, such as adjusting to a new environment, dealing with anxiety, meeting new people, and being away from family for the first time.
For students looking for a way to be more involved on campus, develop leadership skills, and make a real difference in the lives of fellow students, roles like Opening Days Leader, Colloquium Associate or Resident Advisor may be a good fit.
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