Residence Life Office Announces Praiseworthy RAs, Programs

The Residence Life Office at Pennsylvania College of Technology has announced its latest round of monthly awards, applauding students and programs within the institution's on-campus housing complexes.

Chosen as "Resident Assistant of the Month" was Melani B. Grady, a dental hygiene-health policy and administration major from Youngsville and a second-year RA at Campus View Apartments.

"This person has gone far above and beyond as a senior RA this semester. She has done a great job with Academic Theme Housing. She has a positive attitude and sets a great example for the RAs to follow," staff noted in announcing her selection.

They particularly mentioned two programs that Grady recently conducted a dinner with 14 of her residents and an educational program with a Health Sciences professor and noted her membership on the college volleyball team while managing RA duties and her academic commitments. The "Rising Star RA" award was presented to Carl F. Gravely, a building automation technology student from Arona, a first-yearRA in Rose Street Apartments.

"This RA is the 'Radar O'Reilly' of the staff, who anticipates and completes things that need to be done for upcoming events and for the good of the staff. He is always willing to help out his fellow RAs with duty switches, and is continually looking for ways to tackle additional tasks," staff said. "This RA has an infectious sense of humor, and is not above pranking his fellow staff members and coordinator just to brighten their day." He also has been helpful in planning and implementing programs for the Residence Hall Association.

Residence Life also selected educational and social "Programs of the Month," as follows:

EducationalA sexual-wellness program organized by Gravely; and second-year Rose Street RAs Tyler K. Wetzel, an automotive technology management student from Herndon, Va., and Ashley L. Snyder, a nursing major from Shamokin. Their presentation in the Rose Street Courtyard included a guest speaker from AIDS Resources Alliance. A large number of people turned out and actively participated, staff noted.

SocialDouglas E. Bloom, a carpentry major from Clearfield, and Andrew P. Schwalm, an information technology-network specialist major from Tower City, organized a highly popular Campuswide Scavenger Hunt among six resident teams. "Each team was given a set of clues and paper bags to collect their items," staff explained. "People stopped by the Madigan Library for signatures, visited the Wildcat Express for packets of mustard, and even collected lint from The Village laundry room!" Bloom is a second-year RA in The Village; Schwalm is in his first.