Residential Student Staff

ResEd Staff 2024-2025

Each year, the Office of Residential Education looks for responsible, motivated, organized students who want to develop strong communities within our residential spaces! As Residential Education student staff members, you are expected to develop relationships with your residents, address and assist students with concerns, facilitate community building activities, and serve as educators to help your peers grow as young adults through their residential experience.

Becoming involved on campus as a Resident Assistant (RA), Community Advisor (CA), House Leader (HL), or Residence Coordinator (RC) provides you with the chance to learn from your peers and impact the lives of others. The Residential Education professional staff approach their work as educators and seek to provide student staff with a rich learning experience.

As a Residential Education staff member you will be challenged to:

  • Consider the principles and significance of being an effective citizen leader
  • Explore ways of being creative through exploration of multiple perspectives
  • Gain a clearer sense of your own self while also better understanding others
  • Develop and hone your communication skills
  • Cultivate a leadership and administrative skill set that will help you be successful in your work with Residential Education and beyond

Student Staff Roles:MOSAIC orientation event for website_CROPPED

Resident Assistants (First-Year Area): RAs provide leadership with a focus to serve as an educator and a resource in the First-Year residence halls. RAs serve their residents by developing relationships, fostering community, addressing violations of community standards, and assisting students in reflecting on their experience at Gettysburg College. RAs implement the First-Year Residential Experience (FYRE) program, facilitating monthly Community Meetings, hosting G-Chats with each resident, and promoting wellness initiatives through programming. RAs are also part of the Orientation staff and are therefore integral in new students' transition to the College. In the First-Year residence halls, RAs work in pairs on each floor. RAs are directly supervised by professional staff.
In order to be selected as an RA, you must be in good academic and conduct standing.

Community Advisors (Sophomore Resources/Upperclass Area): Community Advisors are involved in developing relationships with their residents and facilitating the formation of a sense of community within their living space. CAs are trained to serve as peer advisors with the skills to facilitate discussions that support their residents' academic progress, personal development, and career exploration. They work collaboratively with the Sophomore Success Program and promote wellness initiatives through programming. CAs are pivotal in the work of enhancing the College's outreach to sophomore students. CAs work with students in various areas on campus including Traditional Halls, Motels, and Apartments & Suites. CAs are supervised by professional staff who oversee the areas where sophomores, juniors, and seniors live. In order to be selected as a CA, you must be in good academic and conduct standing.

House Leaders (College Houses): House Leaders oversee a College House and are involved in developing relationships with their residents and facilitating the formation of a sense of community within their house. HLs are trained to serve as peer advisors with the skills to facilitate discussions that support their residents' academic progress, personal development, and career exploration. They work collaboratively with the Sophomore Success Program and promote wellness initiatives through programming. HLs are pivotal in the work of enhancing the College House program. HLs host campus-wide programming that seeks to engage students in meaningful community-building opportunities. HLs are supervised by professional staff who oversee the College Houses. In order to be selected as a CA, you must be in good academic and conduct standing.

Residence Coordinators: RCs serve as RAs or CAs for their assigned location while also providing staff leadership for their building or area. RCs have at least one year of experience as part of the Residential Education staff. The role of RCs is critical to both the success and effectiveness of a building or area staff. In addition to their responsibilities within their building or area, each RC works closely with a team of area RCs and their supervisor to provide guidance and leadership to the entire community. 

Staff Selection Information

Applications for Resident Assistant (RA), Community Advisor (CA), and House Leader (HL) positions close on February 9. Apply on Handshake.

Position Descriptions & Ethical Expectations

First-Year Area Position Description

Upperclass Area Position Description

House Leader Position Description

Ethical Expectations

You must be a rising sophomore, junior, or senior to apply. You must be in good academic and conduct standing with the College in order to be considered for the position(s).


Application Requirements

To make sure that you complete all parts of the application, please review the above checklist carefully, as some parts of the application exist outside of Handshake.