Having helped guide many students, nervous and excited, through the uncertainty of their first year at college, Carlie Howell now begins her own new adventure.
As the Leadcat Resident Advisor and Residential Student Assistant for University Housing, Carlie has become a major part of campus life, acting as mentor, mediator and friend.
“I do love this job,” Howell said. “I wouldn’t have stuck with it if I didn’t like it.”
While being a human resources management major, Howell chose to become an RA in July 2022. This became more than just a job, but instead an emotionally fulfilling role. Howell’s favorite part of the job has been watching the students grow over the course of their first year at Chico State.
“My favorite part of the job is really sappy, and that’s why I want to continue doing this,” she said. “It was really nice to see you guys come in on like the first day of college and see how much you’ve changed over the year that you guys were just scared little freshmen, and look at you now.”
Maintaining a job and school at the same time wasn’t always easy, but the experience prepared her for just about anything. From conflict resolution to time management, being an RA trains you for real life and handling difficult situations, according to Howell.
Now, nearly three years later, Howell is preparing to graduate, leaving behind her home away from home, late-night talks and unwavering guidance as an RA for university housing.
After graduation, Howell is heading to UC Berkeley to work as the Assistant Resident Director for the Pre-College Scholars Program. Entering this new position is quite the change as Howell has never worked with high school students in a leadership role before, but she is excited for something new and to lead her own team of RAs.
For incoming and continuing students, Howell’s word of advice is “not putting a lot of pressure on making friends in college, because they’ll honestly come to you at the most, like, random time.”
Being an RA means more than having a job and free housing, it teaches you lifelong lessons and the opportunity to share those lessons with others. As Howell packs up her things and prepares for the next chapter of her life, her impact remains at Chico State and in the dorms.
Maya DeHoyos can be reached at [email protected]
