Residence Life Celebrates Outstanding RAs, Programs

StandoutResident Assistants and programs for January/February have been announced by Pennsylvania College of Technology's Residence Life Office.

RA of the Month
Azeez Salu, a computer aided drafting technology student from Upper Marlboro, Md., was chosen as Resident Assistant of the Month.

"This RA made a smooth transition to a new complex (College West Apartments) for the spring semester (and immediately established a great rapport with residents on his floor and his new staff members," Residence Life colleagues noted. "This Resident Assistant is very passionate about the ... position and has great administrative and personal skills. He greets everyone with a smile and leaves everyone smiling."

Rising Star of the Month
Selected as the Rising Star of the Month was Stephania Karoullas, of Landisville, a dental hygiene major who serves as an RA in Rose Street Apartments.

" This staff member has taken a huge leap in the past few months. She has gone from a new Resident Assistant to one that has taken charge of her floor," office staff wrote. "This RA has headed up successful programs (see below) and, as a result of her consistency and problem-solving skills, has seen a huge reduction in roommate conflicts in her hall."

The latest educational and social programs to be honored set a decidedly Valentine's Day tone:

Educational Program of the Month
Megan Pennington, a graphic design major from Baltimore and an RA at The Village at Penn College, creatively organized a "Make Your Own Floral Arrangement" event.

"Knowing that the 'Day of Love' was shortly approaching, the RA wanted to be sure that her residents had a special gift for their loved ones," Residence Life staff explained. "The RA has a lot of returning residents, and it's been a struggle to get them out of their apartments for programming. (She) advertised by personally sending invitations to all of her residents and asking them to attend her program, (in which) residents came out to put together their own personal flower arrangements."

Social Program of the Month
Honored as the month's most noteworthy social event was "Rose Street Valentine's Day Bingo," arranged by Karoullas and fellow RA Alonso Marchinski, an aviation maintenance technology student from Mohnton.

" On a cold, snowy winter night, the Rose Street RAs ... ventured to the Mountain Laurel Room to produce one of the most entertaining evenings of the year," staff wrote. "Hearts were on fire as Rose Street residents played cutthroat games of bingo until a victor was named. The treasure included gift cards and iTunes and a plentiful bounty of candy! Chocolate candies and hearts melted as the heated contest progressed, and, at the end of the night, participants ventured back into the cold and snow warmed by the heat of the competition!"