BY DOUGLAS LISKO
Programs, floor meetings and newsletters–these are the top three things that might come to mind when you hear the term Community Advisor (CA). While residents interact with them on a regular basis, many only have a basic idea of what they do and why they exist. The main purpose of this article is twofold: to help students better understand what a day in the life of a CA is like and also to see if this could be something you would be interested in pursuing.
The main purpose of the Community Advisor is to provide a safe and welcoming environment for residents and foster community through ongoing programmatic and relational efforts. While CAs are also trained in policy enforcement and emergency response, this is not what they spend most of their time doing. CAs would much rather have fun with their residents and getting to know them on an individual basis.
CAs are most notably known for the programs they host throughout the year. Between supporting other programs on campus, hosting other organizations and speakers in the halls, and some fun community building, CAs will host over 1,300 programs this year! CAs put a lot of time, effort, and money into preparing programs for their residents, and they love to see residents getting to know one another.
At the beginning of every month, each CA sends a newsletter for the month providing updates on the floor/building, tips for success and upcoming programs. These newsletters allow CAs to provide updates to the residents in a fun way that each CA can make their own.
Finally, the second reason for this article, gauging your interest in the CA role. It provides students with the opportunity to make a positive impact on the residential experience of Denisonians, while saving money on the cost of housing and earning a paycheck. Many CAs would likely say you get out of the position what you put into it. The CA position is not one where you clock-in and clock-out at the beginning and end of your shift. You live where you work, so there is always an opportunity to get work done. Between making door decorations, hosting programs, being on-call, getting to know residents, managing roommate conflicts, helping students through mental health concerns, and much more, many would argue that being a CA is the most dynamic and exciting job this campus has to offer.
Overall, if you are still unsure about the position there are two main takeaways: 1. CAs genuinely care about their residents 2. CAs are students, too. CAs ask about the classes you take and clubs you are in because they care about your success and share similar experiences as a fellow college student. CAs are here because they truly care about their fellow Denisonians. While being a CA is only one way to show your love for your community, we hope you’ll consider applying for the role. The application opens October 22 and must be submitted by November 4; all applicants must attend an information session during the week of October 22 in order to be eligible for the position.
If you are interested in applying to be a CA, check out our website by going to bit.ly/DenisonCA in order to see more details about the application process and required information sessions.