With the spring semester nearing its end, University Housing Services is pleased to announce this term’s recipients of the Resident Assistant (RA) Scholarship award. The RA Scholarship is presented to resident assistants (RA) who exemplify success in the classroom and the RA leadership role. This semester, four $500 academic scholarships were awarded to exceptional students.
An enthusiastic role model who has formed a welcoming community on her floor, Kathleen Lyons was a deserving candidate for the RA Scholarship.
“It has reduced a ton of stress,” said Lyons. “I am funding my education on my own, so I am known to be a bit of a workaholic between my jobs and school. This will allow me to refocus some of that time and energy into my studies and building a better community for my residents.”
Although balancing the responsibilities of being both a student and a resident assistant can be tough, Lyons shares the methods that help her succeed in both positions.
“Every Sunday I set aside some time to write in my planner and do any prep work for the week,” explained Lyons. “I write in my assignments for my classes, research, and RA responsibilities a few days earlier than their actual due date. This gives me some wiggle room just in case I have, say, a situation on my floor or personal life that prevents me from doing my assignments in time. I also make sure that I have something fun scheduled for that week and an hour of downtime for my hobbies each day.”
When asked about a challenge she has overcome as an RA, Lyons indicated time management as the biggest hurdle she has faced.
“I have a good routine now, but I struggled initially,” Lyons said. “I’ve had multiple jobs between home and school, and now I am working on my research. To manage this balancing act, I’ve had to set some boundaries between everything I’m involved in. In my classes, I only worry about class, in lab, I only worry about my research, and during my RA time, I’m only worried about spending time with my residents and team.”
Financial awards such as the RA Scholarship are made possible by the generous support of our community. Check out Giving.IllinoisState.edu for information on how you can contribute to student success.
