With a fresh start to school next fall will come new leaders in the residence halls as more than 50 new resident assistants prepare for their new jobs.

Jorg Vianden, Upper Friley Hall director and chairman of Staff Selection Committee, said interest in the informative sessions about resident assistant work was up from last year.

For Fall 2001, the selection committee hired 58 RAs and community advisers out of 130 applicants.

Abby Thompson, sophomore in marketing and the future RA for Brandt House in Linden Hall, said she loves being with people so much she thought she would use her leadership skills and meet new people at the same time.

“I hope I get along with my residents. I have really liked my RAs in Linden, and I want to meet new people,” she said, with the “added bonus of having your own room.”

Thompson said she received a lot of encouragement to get to know the residents at the beginning of the year and not leave anyone out. “I hope they are able to approach me with whatever concerns they have, and that they are able to be a friend but still have respect for me,” she said.

Thompson said she thinks the leadership role and responsibility, coupled with meeting new people, will prepare her for the future.

“The advice that we give to residents that are going to become an RA is to get involved in any student residence hall or campus organization that provides leadership that would prepare them for an RA position in the future,” Vianden said.

After filling out an application, working their way through a group interview and completing a personal interview in front of a panel of members from the Department of Residence, each student waits to see if they are chosen.

Jason Abendroth, freshman in political science, became an RA this past semester after interviewing for a position last fall. He said he thought moving over to Beyer House in Welch Hall as an authoritative figure brought many opportunities.

“It’s so much better,” he said. “I love being an RA.”