Meet January’s Featured RA’s!

This month, meet two of our returning Resident Assistants.  Over the past few months, we’ve shone the spotlight on student staff who are serving in their first year as Resident Assistants, but we also have RA’s who choose to apply for a second or third (maybe even fourth!) year to continue to serve the students in our residence halls.

Meet Jen Hobeika!

Jen, originally from Lebanon, entered her second year as an RA in the Complex.  Jen is no stranger to hard work, as she currently manages a Biology major, a Psychology minor and a Catholic Studies minor.  When she isn’t pursuing her career and applying for accelerated Nursing Master’s programs, she is actively involved in Campus Ministry as a work study and as an active participant in St. Paul’s Outreach programs.  Jen believes she is “called to help people” and puts that calling into action by serving at a local soup kitchen weekly and putting her energies into the RA position.  Jen also has an adventurous side, having bungee jumped last summer and planning to skydive for her 21st birthday.  In the RA position, Jen loves building community and creating unique, positive, and quality relationships with and between the students on her floor.  Jen reflects on her first program ever as an RA as one of her successes in the position.  Hosting a “Detox and Destress” program, she invited over 100 residents to enjoy smoothies, bubbles, and other stress relief activities.  Jen loves the RA position because it’s constantly evolving and unpredictable. If you want to join Jen as an RA next year, she recommends knowing who you are and being uniquely you throughout the entire interview process.

Meet Dwyght Pena!

Dwyght is a rare RA, potentially looking to return for a fourth year.  Having served the students in Complex for two years, he has embraced working with first year students in Aquinas Hall.  Dwyght is proud of his membership in Sigma Pi fraternity and is actively engaged in the entire Seton Hall Greek community as the Vice President of Marketing for the Inter-Fraternity Council here at SHU.  Dwyght, who is originally from Massachusetts, credits his RA, Doug Stringham, with influencing him to apply for the position.  Dwyght, with Doug’s encouragement, was able  network on his floor and throughout the building, stepping outside the comfort zone of his room.  Dwyght applies this lesson in helping his eager first year students make the most out of their Seton Hall experience.  His desire to return to the position for a fourth year is driven by the desire to impact students’ lives.  As for those who want to be an RA, Dwyght wants you to know that you don’t need to be a social giant, but you need to have a genuine desire and ability to build meaningful relationships with students in your building.

Housing and Residence Life will be hosting two more information sessions in January for students who want to be like Jen and Dwyght!  They will be held on Thursday, January 18th at 6 PM in the Chancellor’s Suite and on Friday, January 19th at 2 PM in the Nursing Amphitheatre.

Author: Eric Mochnacz

I am the Assistant Director of Training and Development in Housing and Residence Life. I am responsible for the management of student staff selection and student staff and professional staff training. I also supervise the 4 professional staff members who oversee The Complex and Xavier Hall, known collectively as the UpperClass Area (UCA).

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