Uncw Otm Award Program Ra Preparation Session

OTM Award Month and Year: February 2009 Nominee’s School: UNC Wilmington Region: SAACURH Category: Educational Program of the Month ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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: [email protected] E-Mail: [email protected] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------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.