November 25, 2024
Coming to Shawnee State University from Pascagoula, Mississippi, Haley Magee is excited to be returning to another academic year as a Resident Assistant (RA) in the Housing & Residence Life office. A Game Engineering major coming to SSU from out-of-state, Magee saw how important it was to build connections on campus to feel more at home.
“I was drawn to Shawnee because I heard wonderful things about their game development community and the immense affordability compared to most colleges,” she said. “It was a leap of faith, though. I'd have to leave the people I knew and loved back home to embark on a whole new, and somewhat scary, adventure.”
Feeling homesick during her first semester on campus, her own building RA was the one to recommend she look into become a leader on campus for housing life and how that could transition into her finding more opportunities on campus.
“I was so far away from home and didn't know anybody on campus, so I spent a lot of time alone; it was a really tough situation,” she said. “I wasn't sure if I was ever really going to make friends or even have a good university experience until my RA suggested the position to me. I suddenly realized that doing this could be exactly what I needed to break out of my shell and morph my experience into the one I had always pictured.”
As a gaming major, Magee’s building is full of gaming students like her. Being able to program and work with students that have similar interests as her has been her favorite part of her position so far.
“The gaming community RAs always work together, meaning we have more resources and hands to make whatever we do bigger and better!” she said. “It's always such a joy seeing all the familiar faces of campus unite to play kickball, recreate video games in real life, or even just grab a snack and have a conversation.”
As she settles into another year as an RA, Magee encourages others looking for their connections on campus to consider joining their team in the coming year.
“If you want to become a Resident Assistant, absolutely go for it,” she said. “It can be scary, but we are all a team. The housing office is jam packed with wonderful, cheerful, and extremely helpful people who will always be there to help you with absolutely anything.”
One of the most prominent and recognizable student leadership positions on campus, RAs in the Office of Housing & Residence Life assist housing residents as mentors and friends, planning community events and answering questions where needed.
To learn more about Resident Assistants and the Office of Housing & Residence Life at Shawnee State University, visit shawnee.edu/housing.