While many only see Residence Life student advisers creating bulletin boards, door decorations and resident events, it is behind closed doors that sacrifices are made and time is spent on bettering the halls.
Three-fourths of student advisers’ room and meal plan are covered by Truman State — however, their spending money and free time are limited due to not being able to take on any other jobs.
Gardner says student advisers are required to be on call, enforce the University’s code of conduct and spend a week training. He says students must be dedicated to their residents.
“Student advisors are committed folks who really want to help their residents and serve their communities,” Gardner says. “We are fortunate to have a fantastic staff.”
Senior Corinne Naeger has been a part of Residence Life for two years and says she became involved because she and her student adviser connected her freshman year.
“She was very inspiring and had a very positive impact on me,” Naeger says. “I was able to grow so much over that year, and feel I owe a lot of that to her and the community she created.”
Naeger says the position takes as much time as advisers are willing to put in, and it comes with many benefits, such as gaining lifelong knowledge, highlighting one of Residence Life’s main goals — scholarship.
Naeger says she firmly believes that one can find opportunities to learn in any situation, but her lessons in Residence Life will be more valuable than those she could have gained while working another job.
For more information, be sure to pick up a copy of the Aug. 17 Index.