On Sunday, May 5, 2019, the Department of Housing & Residential Programs (HARP) celebrated student staff success during the annual HARP banquet. We are very proud to announce the winners of the various accolades our department awards to outstanding service to the department, the University, and our students.

Dr. Clyde S. and Pauline F. Stine Award

Madison J. Feeman

Associate Director Rita Miller and Madison J. Feeman

The Dr. Clyde S. and Pauline F. Stine Endowed Scholarship was seeded in 1988, by Drs. George and Helen Stine as a tribute to the memory of Dr. George Stine’s parents.  Dr. Clyde Stine was a member of the Millersville University Administrative Faculty for many years.  He provided administrative oversight for the residence hall program as the Dean of Men.

Dr. George Stine, Professor of Sociology, and a founding member of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, retired in 2003, after a distinguished 37 years at Millersville University.  Dr. Helen Stine retired in 2003, after many years as a Reading Specialist serving the School District of Lancaster.

It is our honor to be one of very few Student Affairs Departments recognized with an endowed scholarship.  Drs. George and Helen Stine chose to recognize a Resident Assistant because Dr. Clyde Stine viewed the residence halls as an important experience in the life of a scholar, and realized that Resident Assistants provide a fundamental role in the transition from student to new professional.

The Stine Award is given annually to a continuing Resident Assistant member of the junior class.  The successful applicant must have a record of demonstrated outstanding service and positive contributions to the Department of Housing and Residential Programs and the general campus community.  Applications are reviewed and the recipient selected by members of the Housing and Residential Programs Department Administration.  The recipient will receive a monetary scholarship applicable to the expenses of their senior year.

Madison has been a member of the Housing and Residential Programs Staff for two semesters.  As an RA, she strives to create an aware, informed, engaged community that feels included and pursues personal goals and achievement. The Residential Area Director describes Madison as a problem solver possessing superb customer service and interpersonal skills, a high degree of positive energy, a willingness to take on extra projects as needed, and a distinct creative ability. Madison engages and interacts to motivate others and is an ideal student leader. She believes in a safe and engaging living-learning community in the residence halls and directs focus and effort to achieve that goal.

Madison has maximized the opportunities offered by the University to become involved through organization membership. She began the journey to campus leadership early in freshman year by joining student run organizations and progressing to the leadership positions of executive board Recording Secretary and Historian for the All Campus Musical Organization, and as a Program Coordinator and now Vice President of Weekend Programming for the University Activities Board.  She was also recognized as an emerging student leader through the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership (CSIL).

Madison continued to build a legacy of involvement by taking a position as a tour guide for Admissions encouraging prospective students to choose Millersville as their higher education destination and then as a “Mover and Shaker” assisting new resident students to move into the residence halls on fall opening.

Housing and Residential Programs recognized the shining potential and excellent role model capability of our recipient recruiting and hiring her first as a Desk Attendant in the residence hall and now as a Resident Assistant.  Madison continued to demonstrate quality leadership and pragmatic creativity in this new role by planning and producing an educational display board on the topic of sexual assault awareness that was adopted for continued program use by the Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Title IX Coordinator and the Center for Health Education Promotion.  She planned and developed a program for Freshmen Early Childhood Education majors focused on preparation for the sophomore year experience.

Madison continues to demonstrate an appreciation for community service encouraging other resident students to become involved in Relay for Life and was instrumental in raising $615.00 for the cause. A future in Elementary and Special Education leads this year’s Stine Award recipient to be a well-rounded leader, an advocate for community engagement, and a role model for campus involvement and service.  She is a distinguished member of the South Village Hall Staff.

Humanitarian Pillar Program Award

Relay for Life Fundraising by Connor Richter

Connor Richter and Residential Area Director Rebekah Yerger

This program is the awarded to a program that assists residents in developing relationships with others as well as preparing them to become informed global citizens by appreciating difference in others, effectively and respectfully communicating, promoting a sense of community, and integrating knowledge acquired in everyday experiences into their world view.

Connor Richter helped raise over $1,200 for Relay for Life with late night pancakes and grilled cheese fundraisers along with other general donations.  He also participated in the whole 12- hour event for Relay for Life.

Personal Engagement Pillar Program Award

“Letter to your Future Self” by Jess Ringeisen

Jess Ringeisen and Residential Area Director Michael Davis

This program is awarded to those who planned and executed an event for residents to further their individual growth by making responsible and ethical decisions, developing a sense of self, utilizing effective time management, managing one’s health, resolving conflict and developing leadership skills.

This program crossed both semesters and entailed residents coming to write down their goals, hopes, wishes, or an encouraging statement to themselves for later. For the second semester part of the program, the letters were returned and residents could see what progress was made and how close they were to their goals from the fall. This aimed to help the students see the importance of goal setting and wisdom can play in their lives.

Academic Engagement Pillar Program Award

“It’s a Sign” by Sarah Hagen and Iyla Stebbins

Iyla Stebbins and Associate Director Steven Knepp

This program is awarded to those who planned and executed an event for residents to successfully navigate the collegiate experience.  This program must also present residents the greatest chance of being successful by developing critical thinking skills, valuing life-long learning, becoming academically competent, having career preparedness, and fostering graduate school readiness.

This program in particular was a hands-on experience to promote learning and understanding of a different language.  Language and communication is vital to being human, and the goal of this program was to inspire students to try and learn a new language.  In doing this, residents were able to create their own name tags using cut-out pictures of the American Sign Language letters.

Outstanding New RA Award

Kyre Maxwell

Kyre Maxwell and Residential Area Director Michael Davis

The recipient for the outstanding new RA of the year award is awarded to the newest member of the RA staff that has shown exemplary leadership and the ability to show constant flexibility, a positive attitude, and willingness to help.  This individual must also show support for their residents academically and personally and makes an effort to interact with residents on a personal level and create an exceptional community within their floor.

Ky was given this nomination because of his ability to stand out in such a positive way in such a short amount of time. He started the spring semester with no experience but as the semester closes, he has gained more than he probably thought he would. Ky has a very calming, warm, and positive presence about himself. He has blended into the staff with ease, built community and great bonds with his residents, and has impacted other students in East Village to become motivated to apply to the RA position.

Outstanding Returning RA Award

Daniel Sundberg

Daniel Sundberg and Residential Area Director Julia Collett

The Outstanding Returning RA of the Year award is awarded to the RA with at least one year of experience.

This year’s recipient of the Outstanding Returning RA Award has been described by residents as “The Man.”  He takes the time to get to know his residents and puts a lot of effort into planning programs that people throughout the building want to come to. From origami to stress relief programs, Dan finds unique ways to engage his residents. His peers look to him as a role model for building relationships and often ask him for advice.

Outstanding Desk Attendant of the Year Award

Jaelinn Leftridge

Residential Area Director Rebekah Yerger, Jaelinn Leftridge, and Graduate Assistant Janelle Sanchez

The Outstanding Desk Attendant Award goes to someone who shows consistent and excellent customer service and appropriately helps students.

The recipient for the DA of the Year award goes to Jaelinn Leftridge who has exemplary customer service skills and is always willing to help out others.  She is truly an asset to the DA team.  She is available, a problem-solver, and a peace-maker all at the same time.  She is not afraid to confront issues at hand and does so gracefully while also balancing life and academics.  Her interpersonal skills and efforts create a great working environment and encourages others to authentically be themselves.

The Vanguard Award

Dr. Karen Rice

Associate Director Steven Knepp and Dr. Karen Rice

The Vanguard Award is given to a colleague on campus that has helped further the mission and goals of Housing and Residential Programs.

The recipient of this year’s Vanguard Award goes to Dr. Karen Rice who has been in an influential figure in establishing the Social Advocacy Living Learning Community in West Village. Dr. Rice has given countless hours to students and staff to create an educational and social community that has made a lasting impact on students and the campus community. With her guidance, students in the community were able to develop several campus wide programs for Mental Health Awareness.

Graduate Assistant Recognition – East Village

Chatiela Clark

Chatiela Clark and Residential Area Director Michael Davis

Graduate Assistant Recognition – South Village

Janelle Sanchez

Janelle Sanchez and Residential Area Director Rebekah Yerger

Graduate Assistant Recognition – West Village

Bethany Roche

Bethany Roche and Residential Area Director Julia Collett

Graduating Resident Assistant Recognition

Left to right: Andrew Sellers, Nicole Carrera, Daniel Sundberg, Natalie Sawada, Taniyah Williams, Lincoln Edwards, Deborah Stanback, Camille Christiansen, and Rebekah Teller