Hundreds of Purdue resident assistants to help in community

Resident assistants
volunteer labor
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In its first year, Extreme Makeover: Community Edition will transport about 300 resident assistants by bus from Earhart Hall Dining Court to 15 local agencies such as the YWCA, Family Services, Salvation Army and Trinity Mission. The assistants will perform tasks such as cleaning, landscaping, food distribution, organizing donated goods and mending literacy training books.

Project leader Sarah Casares, residential life manager at Hilltop Apartments, introduced the volunteer day as a way to increase community engagement after seeing a similar program successfully implemented at another university.

"We want to give back to the community. We're interested in issues such as the environment and social justice, and we're encouraging staff to get involved," Casares said. "This also gives residential life staff an opportunity to get to know each other better."

Tom Paczolt, Purdue's director of residential life, expects this new part of the assistants' training will serve as a model that the participants can implement as they develop activities and educational programs for the on-campus residents they serve and supervise. Purdue University Residences can house almost 12,000 students, making it the largest program in the nation that does not require students to live on campus. More than 6,900 freshmen will move in this semester — the largest number ever at Purdue.

"We are always looking for ways to increase the quality of life for our students," Paczolt said. "Serving others is an excellent way to accomplish this. The potential for thousands of energetic young people to help create a stronger community is exciting."

Community needs and volunteer opportunities were identified with help from the Greater Lafayette Volunteer Bureau. Each resident assistant was able to select the agency they wanted to help.

Resident assistants are degree-seeking students who are at least 21 years old. They are part-time employees of the university and receive free room and board, partial tuition remission and a stipend. Resident assistants serve as role models to residents and provide counseling and counseling referrals. Assistants help ensure that residents adhere to university rules and policies and also are expected to develop a sense of community and foster leadership skills.

Writer: Jim Schenke, (765) 494-6262, jschenke@purdue.edu

Sources: Tom Paczolt, (765) 494-1000, tpaczolt@purdue.edu

Sarah Casares, (765) 494-2396, scasares@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

PHOTO CAPTION:
On Monday (Aug. 14) nearly 300 Purdue resident assistants did volunteer labor at 13 nonprofit organizations in an effort to help the local groups and increase community engagement. The University Residences student leaders did a variety of tasks such as installing a playground safety surface, landscaping, packaging donated school supplies and cooking meals. The inaugural program, called Extreme Makeover: Community Edition, was organized by Sarah Casares, residential life manager at Hilltop Apartments. This new part of the assistants' training will serve as a model that the participants can implement in developing activities and educational programs for the on-campus residents they serve and supervise. Purdue University Residences can house almost 12,000 students, making it the largest program in the nation that does not require students to live on campus. More than 6,900 freshmen are moving in this semester - the largest number ever at Purdue.

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