Penn College News

Leadership opportunities sprout from RA's fertile mind

Monday, November 25, 2019

Self-identifying with specific words and personality traits, students move among workstations to dish the dirt about leadership posts.Resident Assistant Joey M. Morrin organized a "Weed 'em Out" event this past week at Dauphin Hall, aimed at convincing underclassmen in first-year housing to apply for student leadership positions on campus.

"The idea of the program was simple," explained Morrin, who designed and planned the activity as part of his monthly RA program requirements. "A table full of succulents was labeled with words* describing the qualities of various leadership positions on campus. Interested participants could pick one of these plants based on a word they thought best described them."



Prospective student leaders talk with those who came before, challenged to take the plunge in the service of classmates and communityOnce the participants chose a plant, they could move to the potting station labeled with the word of their choosing, where several student leaders were waiting to engage them. Each station was a stage for campus leaders to interact with participants by helping pot plants and providing insights about student leadership positions (experiences, the application process and benefits). Once the participants had a potted plant and newly gained perspectives, they could enjoy desserts made by the various student leaders who helped to make the program a success.

"The event was scheduled to run for two hours, but we ran out of 100 plants in less than an hour and 30 minutes," said Morrin, a graphic design major from Morrisville, also involved with the Connections orientation program through the Student Engagement Office. "Success!"

Photos by Tim Wegman, student photographer


*Resident Assistant/Student Development Assistant – Strong, responsible, social and patient
Community Peer Educator/Wildcat Events Board/Student Government Association – Creative, organized, curious and dedicated
Connections Link/Student Ambassador/Summer Conference Assistant – Brave, helpful, flexible and energetic