Growth, learning, experience
Students spend week trying out for the Resident Assistant position next year
Each spring, the Office of Student Leadership (OSL) is flooded with Resident Assistant (RA) applications from Liberty University students who desire the chance to learn, practice leadership and grow in their relationship with God and others.
TRYOUT — Applicants gathered multiple times during the week. Photo credit: Sarah Rodriguez
The RA application process is open to any full-time residential student. Around 400 Liberty students submit RA applications each year. However, only about 130 students are accepted to fulfill the
leadership position on campus.
“It is one of the most extensive leadership-development processes that exists at our university,” Cimberly Cummings, an assistant director of OSL, said. “However, students who become RAs usually experience personal, ministry, administrative, leadership and spiritual growth during their involvement.”
Cummings said she encourages students to pursue an RA position if they are passionate about leadership, service and the mission of Liberty. She said it is vital applicants maintain a teachable and open mindset throughout the process.
“Going into this, I think the hardest part of all is finding the balance between humility and confidence,” Kelsey Baker, an associate director of OSL, said. “People are judging you all week, and you want to put your best foot forward, but it is also important to remain humble, trusting the Lord and his plan throughout the whole process, cheering others on, and having a teachable spirit.”
After filling out an application, a student will meet with a Resident Director for a face-to-face interview. If the student displays the qualities and skills needed for the position, he or she will be invited to participate in the next two stages of the process: Host Week and Experience Weekend.
“Host Week is where we place applicants on a residence hall for the week where they shadow the current RAs and gain hands-on experience,” Cummings said. “Experience Weekend occurs the weekend after Host Week and involves the applicants being evaluated by our Resident Directors.”
During both of these events, an applicant will undergo a series of group evaluations. The individual will be placed in a variety of scenarios to assess his or her character and competence.
“Personal character includes integrity, a growing relationship with Christ, emotional stability, biblical convictions and maturity,” Cummings said. “Competence skills refer to their agreement with the mission of Liberty, people skills, Bible-knowledge skills, small group skills, counseling and confrontation skills, and communication and decision-making skills.”
Immediately afterward, OSL will analyze each applicant and prayerfully decide which students to invite onto the leadership team.
“We take discipleship seriously,” Baker said. “In the book of James it tells us that ‘not many of you should presume to be teachers.’ The standard of a leader in the Bible is high, and we, too, expect our leaders to be at the highest level of character and competency in order to lead the student body well.”
Each day, RAs are entrusted with a great deal of responsibility. Ultimately, they must be equipped to deal with every circumstance in a way that positively reflects both God and Liberty.
“We want to do our due diligence in selecting the right applicants who are going to use their position to glorify the Lord, point others to Christ, and perform their personal and RA responsibilities with excellence and diligence,” Cummings said. “We take the process seriously because it is a serious role, and the process helps reveal the qualities we need to see.”
Rutt is a feature reporter.