When a student applies to attend the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts, much of the early discussion centers on whether a student will be able to adjust to the rigorous curriculum offered by the school.
Just as important, though, is how a student will adapt to living in a residential setting away from their families. Will they flourish and make new friends? Will they want to stay in their room, hidden from their classmates? How will they handle the natural stress associated with leaving home while growing to be more independent?
ASMSA has in recent years expanded programs and services that address these questions. One action the school took was to add a licensed counselor to its staff to ensure students had a professional to reach out to for help or social-emotional guidance as needed. The counselor leads groups that provide students an opportunity to share their feelings and concerns in a constructive setting in addition to individual meetings as necessary.
An assistant dean of residence life who lives on campus was added to the residential staff last year, providing a full-time position who serves as an experienced administrative presence during the evening hours when students are out of class and to help lead the residential staff, including Residential Mentors (RM). RMs live on the floors with students and lead various educational sessions, conduct room checks and serve as first contact for students.
This fall completes a three-year process of investment in an updated staffing model and additional personnel that underscores the importance the Residential Life staff play in student support and success. This year, the staff was reorganized to add Residential Experience Coordinators. RECs are live-in staff who have shown a passion for the field of Student Affairs through their degree-program choices or their transferrable experiences, said Dr. Rheo Morris, dean of students at ASMSA. Each of the RECs have master’s degrees.
“Prior to this position, the RM roles were often viewed as transitional roles held by a person who stayed one or two years,” she said. “It served as a waiting period as some examined what they wanted to do with their careers or a launching pad for them to pursue a career in Student Affairs.”
The new REC roles demonstrate ASMSA’s commitment to the staff’s professionalism, Morris said.
“Live-in staff have come a long way from being ‘dorm moms’ and ‘dorm dads’ and now serve in the capacity as paraprofessional counselors, advisers, programmers, and persons who understand the theory behind certain behaviors,” Morris said.
Liz Carrel, one of the new RECs, has degrees in social work — a bachelor’s from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and a master’s from Barry University in Miami, Fla. She is excited about the opportunity to serve as a mentor to ASMSA students, following the example of her previous mentors, including Dr. Sara Brown, the school’s director of institutional advancement. Brown once served as Carrel’s mentor and counselor when Carrel was a student at National Park College in Hot Springs.
“I want to mentor and make a difference in our students’ lives just like Dr. Brown made a difference in my life,” Carrel said. “It’s about building community and rapport within our residential life. It’s about supporting the students through the school year and giving them the tools they will need to succeed in the real world.”
How students gain those tools are vital as well.
“It’s important that students are participants more than spectators because these skill-building activities will assist them in how to work in groups, lead a team and much more,” Carrel said.
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Salary increases allowed ASMSA to be more competitive in recruiting talented professionals for the roles. The position and salary are equivalent to a residence hall director on a college campus, but RECs work with a much smaller group of students.
The changes include a more enriching model for a growing Student Development Program that focuses on Social Emotional Learning. The first three weeks focus on topics such as self-management and hygiene, relationship and communication skills, conflict resolution and self-awareness, Morris said. It is the school's goal to bridge the gaps toward them becoming engaged citizens, she added.
ASMSA has seven RECs on staff, including four who previously served as ASMSA Residential Mentors, three of whom earned an advanced degree during their tenure at ASMSA. The original plan was to have six, equivalent to the six wings in the Student Center. A seventh REC was added to ensure this year’s cohort of online students have full access to a shared community and set of programmatic experiences.
Savannah Ramion is one of the former RMs who has become an REC. After earning her master’s degree in College Student Personnel Services from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, moving to the REC position seemed like a natural step in her career progression as a student affairs professional, Ramion said. While the two positions are similar, serving as the professionals in the Social Emotional Learning program is the focus for an REC.
“The SEL programming is going to have a positive impact on student development while at ASMSA, and I am eager to see how staff will be creative in implementing it,” Ramion said. “A residential experience is something that not many high school students can participate in, and we want to give our students a great time here. I love seeing how much the students grow while at ASMSA, both in academics and a residential setting.
“Sometimes you can see their personal growth over the course of a month or so, but looking back at a student’s first day at ASMSA up to their last day, there is always a big change in them. Whether those changes are through their maturation or watching them use the tools that we’ve taught them for time management, healthy eating and mental health is satisfying.”
Adrian Tharpe joined the ASMSA staff this year as an REC after serving in student life positions at Murray State University in Kentucky and Middle Tennessee State University. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Communication from Murray State University and an Educational Specialist degree in Administration and Education from Middle Tennessee State. He is excited about the opportunity to work with ASMSA’s students and to be available as a listener as much as a teacher.
“I enjoy their ambition. They are so motivated about their education and their gifts. I love hearing about their day, about class, their friends and family. I love that they feel comfortable coming to me about stuff,” he said.
“Most times anyone that you care for needs to be heard and they need to know that you will be there from the smallest question to the largest issue.”
Maddisyn Karn is another previous RM who has advanced to become an REC. She was chosen to work with the remote-learning students. While they may not currently be on campus, it’s vital that they recognize they are and remain full members of ASMSA’s community of learning.
Karn said the Social Emotional Learning aspect of the position aligns with the values she was taught were earning her social work degrees — a bachelor’s from Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia and a master’s from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. She still conducts “floor meetings” with the students and contacts them each individually every week for check-ins, she said.
“The biggest adjustment is finding ways to build rapport with the new students who are remote. The hybrid part of the position has also allowed me to use my degree more as I am helping [Staci Stich, the school’s licensed professional counselor] with mental health as well as planning SEL programs.”
Karn said the REC position takes a more hands-on approach with the students. “It allows for more quality and thoughtful interaction with the students. I’m going to approach the job with optimism, an open mind and organization,” she said.
There are also three Residential Mentors on staff who will continue to work within Residence Life.
“Residential Mentors are still highly involved in the day-to-day running of the Student Center,” Morris said. “They create and implement programs, serve as mentors and teachers for students, and support the Social Emotional Learning program. They will communicate with parents more regularly to ensure we are all working in the best interest of the student.”