OTM Award

Month and Year: February 2009

Nominee’s School: UNC Wilmington
Region: SAACURH
Category: Educational Program of the Month
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Program Title: RA Preparation Session
Person in Charge: Schwuites RAs Nominator: Leah Hatem
Address: 601 S. College Road Address: 601 S. College Road
Phone: Phone: 704-968-6506
E-Mail: djb1965@uncw.edu E-Mail: lkh2388@uncw.edu
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On-Campus Population: 3,100
Chapter Size: 31
Target Population for Program: 95 Attendance: 28
Number of People to Organize: 10
Time Needed to Organize: 1 week
Date of Program: February 16, 2009 Cost of Program: FREE
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Program Description:

This RA Prep program was designed to help RA candidates learn more about the
interview process for the RA position as well as practice in a group interview situation.

First, current RA's went over general tips for individual interviews. Types of questions
that may be asked, to what to wear and good reasons for being an RA and realistic
expectations of being an RA were all discussed. After assuring that the group did not
have any more questions of the individual interview process candidates were broken up
into groups of 6-7 with at least two RA's supervising each group, with a total of 6-10
people in each group. This activity served as a mock group interview process.
Candidates were read scenarios that an RA may face on the job and then were responsible
as a group to discuss possible solutions to the problem and ways in which to address
these issues. Once candidates had completed the exercise the RA's facilitating the group
gave them feedback as well as asked the group follow up questions. This time also gave
candidates the opportunity to ask how current RA's have or would handle similar
situations. Overall the program was very successful with about a third of all candidates
present it helped them to better grasp the concept of what to expect from a group
interview since most of them have never been through the process.

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Program Origin:
The program was started last year in order to help residents within the Schwuites Area
prepare for the RA interview process. This year the program was opened up to all
candidates that had applied for the position.

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Goals of Program:

The goal of this program was to help better prepare candidates for the RA process. This
also served as a forum to ask any last minute questions as group interviews took place
that following weekend and individual interviews within the next week. This program
was also held in order to help relieve some stress that candidates may be experiencing
merely because they did not know what to expect from the process.

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Positive and Lasting Effects of Program:

It is further reinforced that RA's are here to serve as a resource for residents. It also helps
to show that the RA process is meant as a conversation rather then an imitation tool. This
program also shows potential RA's that there is no one right way to handle a situation.
They are shown that every situation depends on the circumstances and the people
involved.

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Short Evaluation of Program:

This program was a great success. Residents left with a better understanding of the group
interview process as well as helpful pointers for individual RA's. It was very apparent in
the group process and individual interviews as far as stress and tension level wise, who
had been present at this program and who had not.

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How Could the Program Be Adapted to Other Campuses?

Larger campuses could adapt this program by offering more than 1 sessions for
candidates in order to maintain the realistic group size. This should definitely be a
program that is done within a week or two before the actual process is to take place. It is
very important to have a way of contacting all potential RA's as this is a specific group to
be targeted rather then a mass amount of people.