RHC conversations
Residence hall coordinators discuss how their passions brought them to UD
8:02 a.m., April 23, 2015--For a number of University of Delaware residence hall coordinators, the path that led to work in student affairs was not always a clear one but ultimately one that has proved to be challenging and rewarding.
“I’m figuring my path out as I go,” explained Jessica Cornwell, the Christiana West Tower residence hall coordinator, or RHC. "I was helping seniors get into college, but I didn't really know what was going on the college campuses to support them once they got there."
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Cornwell shares this view with Tierra Fields, the coordinator of Louis L. Redding, Eliphalet Gilbert, Smyth, Lane and Thompson residence halls.
Neither expected to end up in residence life, and it was their passions that led them to UD.
Finding their passions
Cornwell is the first to admit she sees that her “path is different than many folks in student affairs.” She earned an undergraduate degree in sociology and Spanish from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, which fueled her interest in social justice.
Serving as a resident assistant in her senior year, Cornwell was exposed to several opportunities that helped her realize the possibilities in diversity peer education. She sums up her philosophy in three words -- “diversity, inclusion and equity,” evident in her post-graduate experiences.
After receiving a master’s degree, Cornwell spent time with AmeriCorps as a college adviser and Teach for America as an educator. She wanted to ensure students from underrepresented backgrounds received support after high school and to be a direct part of that cause.
Fields also served as a resident assistant (RA), starting in her sophomore year at Towson University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and criminal justice. Her role in residence life provided a strong sense of belonging and a platform to help others.
“A lot of us in student affairs, we say, ‘Yeah, we got into this field because we like to help people,’ and it becomes the standard explanation, but that is really what I was driven to,” Fields said.
"I want to give a lot of credit to my mentors. The people they were to me, I wanted to be that person for someone else. They pushed me, challenged me. I want to be that role model."
Building and sustaining community
Cornwell and Fields both agree that there is more to the RHC position than what can be put into a job description. While Fields oversees a largely freshman population, Cornwell supervises upperclassmen. These groups come with their own unique challenges.
Fields has found success with a program she calls “Treats with Tierra,” where she leaves her office door open and invites residents to have some free snacks while she talks to them about how they are doing and how she can help.
She stressed “the importance of getting involved in something, finding one or two things that the residents can really get invested in, as opposed to seven, eight, nine things they've just dabbled in a little bit."
Many upperclassmen have “already found their niche,” as Cornwell explained. Her biggest obstacles have included “helping residents see the benefit of living on campus” and “dismantling the stigma that upper-division students don’t want to be involved.”
Cornwell has worked against these stigmas by involving the Christiana Towers in a #UDOpensDoors social media campaign to increase visibility and community.
The West Tower also participated in the “Spring Break Destinations Towers Crawl,” where residents were encouraged to go to every floor, play games, interact with different RAs and make new friends.
The fruits of their labor
Overcoming the inherent obstacles that come with these populations is not done alone, and both RHCs had nothing but praise for their RA staffs.
"I'm just amazed at how comfortable, how confident they are in their message of bettering the community and being able to get their peers invested," Fields said.
She also recognized the RA staffs of Lane and Thompson halls, who have been welcoming of her as their new RHC. They have been extremely supportive and independent, particularly in how they collaborate and work towards group goals, she said.
Cornwell has been working with a group of students to advise the development of a registered student organization that supports first-generation students.
She happily explained, "I sent out the flyer for their meeting to my colleagues, and one faculty member sent it to some of her students. One of the students in her class emailed me back and said, 'I've been waiting since my freshman year for something like this to form, I'm really excited about this, here are my ideas.’ The most satisfying part of my job is seeing students find their place."
Fields expressed an equally sincere sentiment when asked about the most satisfying aspect of her position: “I've felt so connected to the students this year. It’s different; I feel their energy. The opportunity to be a part of their lives is something I greatly appreciate.”
Article by Dan Carr