Written by Emelia Klanduch
I grew up hearing about my cousin’s experience as a Resident Assistant (RA) at a big university, and I was honestly frightened. She had numerous stories of handling emergencies and chaos. From having to confront guys because she lived in a mixed-gender dorm, to being held more responsible for the mental health crisis of a resident than a student ever should be, she had seen a lot. Even more odd was that, apparently, this was normal in college. Those situations can take a serious mental toll on anyone. But at least my cousin got free room and board, right?
I didn’t think that was worth it. So how did I end up as an RA at Hillsdale?
The reason was obvious from the minute I pulled up to Olds Residence my freshman year. My RAs and the girls in Olds were so different from the stories I had heard. The entire RA team came out to welcome me, and I vividly remember my Head RA asking if she could hug me. Of course, I said yes! Flash forward to the present, and she’s one of my dearest friends. The other Olds girls started trickling in hour by hour that move-in day, and pretty soon there were more friendly faces than I knew what to do with.
As freshman year went on, I got to know my RAs, and I discovered that their job wasn’t to be security (that’s why we have Campus Security!). While they are still responsible for monitoring dorm safety, their main role is to get to know us and help us transition to college life. I spent countless hours chatting with my RAs when they “sat desk” (were on duty) in the lobby, and I formed dear relationships with them and the other Olds girls who came to “desk.” Two of those girls even became my roommates!
After spending a lot of time with my Olds RAs, I knew I wanted to be an RA myself. My freshman year, our Olds RAs poured so much into us. Some of them became my spiritual mentors, helping me navigate life. I wanted to invest in the next year’s freshmen in the same way. It shocked me that I ended up applying for the very job I had been set against for so long.
So, in the spring semester of my freshman year, I applied to be an Olds RA. I was honored to be offered the position for my sophomore year. There were eight of us, and the bonds we formed with each other and the new freshmen were more than I could have ever asked for. As an RA team, we came alongside each other through all the highs and lows. We moved 80 girls into Olds together on a hot August day, dedicated hours and hours of spare, borrowed, and stolen time to Homecoming week, baked dozens of cookies and muffins with our residents to raise money for Helping Hands Pregnancy Resource Center, and rallied our creative spirits to put on the most iconic Olds event of the year—Olds Glow (picture the Olds lobby bursting at the seams, the Schizmatics playing an electric set, and people from across campus moshing well until midnight—all under the glow of the Olds disco ball).
But we didn’t just experience the mountains and valleys of work together. We lived life together. The eight of us laughed until we cried, cried until we had to laugh, prayed fervently for our residents and our own friendships with each other, and celebrated the goodness of God for all those living under the roof of Olds Residence that year. God blessed us immeasurably. The friendships I formed with our residents that year filled my cup to overflowing. From girls who made me pancakes, to Christmas cards left at my door, to girls who wrote me cards after a breakup, to residents who baked with me on Easter, and ones who stayed at the desk with me until many midnights—those are bonds I pray will never fade.
I could never adequately express my gratitude to God for changing my heart toward the RA role. I’m a junior now, and I’m happy to say I’m still an RA. I live in Benzing, with an RA team of six other girls. Five of us are returning for the next school year, and I can only imagine what stories we’ll have to share after another year together. I’m glad the “chaos” we experience is life-giving and fortifying. What a gift to be at a school where being an RA is such a joy. I can’t imagine my Hillsdale experience any other way.
Emelia Klanduch, ’27, is majoring in English and minoring in biology. In her spare time, she loves reading a good book, baking with friends, and rock climbing back home in North Carolina.
Published in February 2026
