August 10, 2011 | Michael Kirk

Making Connections

Each summer, RAs call all the students on their floor to say hello before they move in.

Students carry their belongings outside Fairfield Hall as they move into their dormitories. (Peter Morenus/UConn photo)

A file photo of students moving into Fairfield Hall.
A file photo of students moving into Fairfield Hall. (Peter Morenus/UConn photo)

Sometime before the fall semester begins this year, the phone of every student who will be living on campus will ring and it will be their future RA on the other end of the line, calling to say hello.

It’s part of a larger process to welcome students and make sure they’re comfortable as they get ready to move onto campus.

“These calls help to create a great sense of community and connection before the check-in, especially for incoming freshmen,” says Steve Kremer, who heads the Department of Residential Life at UConn. “The RAs are at the very heart of creating an inviting campus community, and things like reaching out to their fellow students are a big part of that.”

There are 284 RAs at UConn’s Storrs campus—which more than 12,500 students will call home again in a few weeks. Each of them spends time during the summer working down their list of residents, calling to introduce themselves and answer any questions their future resident might have.

The RAs end up reaching a sizeable chunk of their future residents.

“I think it can be very helpful for building a community, especially for freshmen, since they know I am available and accessible for them,” says RA Vanessa Ball. “It can also be nice to alleviate any anxiety, or answer some lingering questions for new students before they arrive on campus.”

Students in a dorm room at Towers Residence Hall.
Students in a dorm room at Towers Residence Hall. Photo by FJ Gaylor

The RAs typically introduce themselves and welcome the resident to the community. They also explain the move-in process and ask the residents if they have any questions regarding move-in or anything related to UConn that they may need help with.

“Calling freshmen is a lot easier than upperclassmen because they don’t know what to expect and genuinely are intrigued by everything you have to say,” says RA Stephany Santos. “Also during the call I try to find out their likes and dislikes, and what they would like to see happen on the floor. I realize that the dorms are a home away from home, and so I try to plan a lot of programs and events that encourage residents to meet their floormates and have a great time with each other. My ultimate goal for these phone calls is to have them know they have an RA that is going to be there for them with their best interests in mind, and most importantly, that they be excited for the upcoming year.”

The RAs who were interviewed felt the calls were a help.

“I do feel like this is helpful, because it reminds students when move-in weekend is and when classes start again,” says RA Jonathan Garcia. “It also helps ease some of the nerves of those students unfamiliar to either UConn or the particular dorm. It gives them a sense of assurance to campus, and that they already know someone coming in. It also helps clarify when and where students are allowed to check in.”

Some of the students the RAs reach don’t have much to say, others are full of questions.

“I once was asked how comfortable the seats were at UConn and where would I recommend him to find the best seats,” says RA Troy Woolery. “I of course told him about the mini-couches in the Union and a few other good spots I know of. It was a fun call, since he asked literally a hundred questions.”

Others sought good advice based on the RAs experience.

“Once I was asked what was the one thing that I wished I had brought to UConn as a freshman. I told them rainboots,” says Vanessa Ball. “Now as a senior, I still don’t own a pair of rainboots.”