Resident Advisors for the new freshman dorm were finalized March 15, along with the rest of the Resident Advisor selections.

The hiring process was extremely competitive, and applications for RA positions significantly increased this year. There were 138 applications for RA positions in the new dorm and only nine individuals were selected. One Senior Resident Advisor and a Resident Director were also selected for the dorm.

Students applying to be Resident Advisors filled out an application, including letters of recommendation, before moving on to the interview stage of the process. During February, applicants interviewed in the hall or halls they applied to work in. Some students had multiple interviews, each conducted by the Resident Director of the hall.

Mitchell Bradford, who is currently a community assistant in Edwards Hall, will serve in the role of SRA in the yet-to-be-named hall. Erika Mince, the current RD in Gardner Hall, will make the switch to serving as Resident Director in the new hall.

The new hall, which is being built to replace McDonald Hall, will house both freshman boys and girls and will be open starting in the 2021-2022 school year. The hall should house around 230 new students.

Shannon Kaczmarek, director of residence life, emphasized how the design for the new hall would help build community.

“The new hall has a really cool design with a lot of community space,” said Kaczmarek, “Guys and girls will be on different halls but have many of the same community spaces.”

Mince and the new group of Resident Advisors are ready to build an active residence life in the new hall. They are hoping to host a plethora of activities for residents, like watching movies on the lawn, hosting a decades prom, and having bonfires.

“I am excited to find common ground and interests with residents,” said Mince, “We can’t wait to really break the ice and allow for community to grow.”