Training lasted 10 days for new and old RMs
As students begin hauling their belongings into campus residence halls, resident mentors are already prepared for the challenges that come with managing a group of college kids.
For 10 days, resident mentors (RM) new and old trained with University Housing staff and learned the ins and outs of residence life.
“RM training started on the fifth of August and [ended] on the fourteenth,” said Rohan Rajeev, a second-year global supply chain operations and management student who will be an RM for the first time this year in Capstone House. “We’re basically in training from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day. The days are pretty long but we learn some pretty useful stuff, from writing incident reports to dealing with mental health safety. This period is mandatory so new and old RMs know what to do when situations arise. It’s also a good time to build a strong relationship with your staff and other RMs across campus.”
Veteran RMs like forth-year chemical engineering student Jackie Tolomeo, who has served as an RM in East Quad and the Honors Residence Hall, helped guide first-timers like Rajeev through the training process.
“Returning RMs will act out scenarios,” Tolomeo said. “And the new RMs are asked to respond how they think they should if it were an actual incident, and then the returners will talk about what could’ve been done differently afterwards.”
Although students of all ages live in residence halls, a majority of residents are first-year students. With each incoming class RMs make it their priority to ensure that the new students have a smooth transition into college. RMs often plan special events and programs for their first-year residents, said third-year elementary education student Caroline Faucette, who is starting her second year as a Carolina Women’s Community RM.
“I want to enhance the freshman experience by getting residents out of their comfort zones,” Faucette said. “It’s always great to see residents on the hall becoming friends with someone totally different than them and it makes them a better person. On the other hand, I hope to also connect students with clubs and organizations that best fit their interests and beliefs. Whether you play music, video games, or sports; it’s always good to be in a community with those similar to you. There is so much happening on campus, and the more students stay, the easier it gets to be away from home and on your own.”
Like Faucette, Tolomeo too has plans for the coming year to help the freshmen become acclimated.
“As an RM, my goal was to try and make sure that all my freshmen residents knew about what USC had to offer for them,” Tolomeo said. “It’s hard when you’re a freshman to figure out exactly what you want to do and what till make your time here better.”
Faucette, like many other RMs, has already planned activities for her residents, most of whom won’t know each other until they’re living side-by-side.
“I always love having movie nights on the floor where girls can just get to know each other in a casual way,” Faucette said. “I’m also working with my co-RM on an event to help freshman girls to go out safely and be aware of their surroundings.”