Residence Life Staff Members use experience to lead
Published: March 02, 2022
GU's Residence Life Staff Members (l to r) Johnny Hinton, Sophie Yaunches, Clarence "C.J." Falls, and Keli Pennington.
Dorm life
Everyone who has lived in a university dormitory has stories to tell. They remember the joys, the friendships, and, of course, the late-night discussions. But they also recall the challenges, the occasional conflicts, and the adjustments required to thrive in that unfamiliar environment.
Without a doubt, it’s a big adjustment going from a home atmosphere to a dormitory environment. But at Greenville University, students are not left on their own to adjust. Within the dormitory system, students are guided by resident assistants (RAs) on each floor and residence life staff members, who oversee one or more buildings.
This year, GU has a unique group of residence life staff members. All four are former Greenville University students, who lived in the dorms, served as RAs, and now have assumed more responsibilities as RDs. Typically, each RD oversees six to 10 RAs.
“I consider myself an educator,” said Johnny Hinton, a native of Louisville, Ill., who is serves as RD for Hood Hall as well as GU’s assistant director of residence life. “We teach people how to live well with others in a community. We also connect people with resources on campus to help with their academic success, their social success, and their physical and emotional well-being.”
Other RDs this year are Clarence “C.J.” Falls of Bloomington, Ill. (Joy and Janssen halls), Keli Pennington of Peoria, Ill. (Burritt Hall), and Sophie Yaunches of Breese, Ill. (Tenny and Kinney halls, and several apartments).
Creating community
All the RDs agreed that creating a positive and caring environment is paramount.
“We want the students to feel welcome and safe here,” said Falls. “Many of them are learning a new culture here at Greenville, and others are living on their own for the first time.”
Pennington added: “We want to instill a sense of belonging. As RDs, we pour into our resident assistants, equipping them to create mini-communities on their floors.”
But there also are important life lessons to be learned.
“It comes back to living life well with all kinds of people from all over the world,” said Hinton, a 2018 GU graduate with a bachelor’s degree in education studies and a master’s degree in higher education. “Where else in Southern Illinois can you interact with people from this many cultures?”
Yaunches said that learning to deal with differences is a constant theme as people are introduced to dormitory living. “When you have young people living together for the first time, there’s a lot to learn about being respectful of others. Lately, we’ve been working on conflict management – emphasizing that its an ‘us’ problem when something isn’t going well.”
“We want to support the students in all areas of their lives,” said Pennington. “We care about their physical health, their mental health, their financial health, and their spiritual health. We want to develop the whole person.”
Falls added: “I met some of my best friends in the dorm setting. It’s a great way to meet people. We want our students to get to know others and discover the wide range of people here on campus.”
Coming back to GU to serve
Though Hinton has stayed at GU since his days as an undergrad, the other three RDs have taken other jobs or gone on to grad school in recent years. All three returned last fall to give back to the residence life system that nurtured them as undergrads.
“One of the main motivators to do this job was remembering how empowering and important it was to me to see someone who looks like me serving in a leadership role here,” said Falls. “When my parents dropped me off here my freshman year, they felt it was good to see other black men on campus. I’ve been able to create connections with guys in my dorm because of my life experiences. I’ve learned that you don’t have to be a lot older than someone to be a role model for them.”
Yaunches added: “I came back because I realized how many things I needed to know when I arrived as a student here. There was a lot I learned through residence life and the relationships I formed here. When I was in college, I had a lot of people who understood me and cared for me. The strongest community I’ve ever experienced has been here at GU, and when I got out of school, I missed that.”
Pennington worked in the University’s admissions office for 2 1/2 years after graduating and then moved to Durham, North Carolina, where she completed a master of divinity degree at Duke Divinity School at Duke University last spring. “I came back to GU because I believe in the mission of the University,” she said. “My life was transformed here, and I want to be part of the group that carries forth that mission. I want to see others’ lives transformed by the love of God.”
Ross Baker, GU’s dean of student development and a former RD himself, said that having experienced people to serve as RDs is a plus.
“First of all, it’s gratifying that they want to come back and work in residence life,” Baker said. “For them to want to come back says that we have a system they want to be part of. It’s also very helpful because they already know our system and our values; they know why we do what we do. And they want to continue the traditions they experienced.”
As Baker’s assistant, Hinton has the most time on the front lines of residence hall life. And he’s passionate about the RDs’ far-reaching impact.
“Former RD Mikey Ward always said that we plant a lot of seeds,” Hinton said. “Sometimes we get to see those seeds take root and grow, but we don’t always get to see the fruit. Our job is to pour into their lives, affirming and empowering them whenever we can, and being there for them in the tough times.”
Bottom line, there are enough times of encouragement to keep the RDs going – even with the occasional setbacks.
“In the day-to-day, there’s not a lot of hard data to confirm that we’re doing a good job,” said Yaunches. “But if I’m building relationships and helping my RAs become leaders, then I feel I’m making a difference. It’s hundreds of little things that happen during the day that give me a sense of satisfaction.”
Pennington added: “It’s exciting to see the growth in our students as we walk alongside them. Often, college is the first time that students have lived on their own, so you never know what will come up or how they’ll need to be supported. It can be a little crazy at times, but it’s a great opportunity to show God’s love to them during a formative time in their lives.”
