Tag Archives: Residence Hall

Lifestyle / Hall Life, New / Prospective Students, Resources

Residence Hall Essentials From Amazon That You’ll Want to Buy

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Moving away from home and moving into the residence halls is super exciting, but can seem daunting if you don’t know what to pack. If you’re unsure about what you need to bring with you to college, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Here is a short list of some residence hall essentials you can buy from Amazon to help you prepare for living on campus once the fall semester begins:

(Here’s a helpful tip: College students can take advantage of Amazon Prime Student, which is a discounted Amazon Prime membership program. Click here to learn more about it!)

1. Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Multi-Surface Everyday Cleaner

Mrs. Meyers multi surface everyday cleaner is a great investment because it limits the amount of cleaning supplies you have to buy and store since its multipurpose, and it’s inexpensive. This multi surface cleaning spray is also available in different fresh scents. Click here to purchase a 3-pack from Amazon.

2. First Aid Kit

Something a lot of students wouldn’t think to bring with them to college is a first aid kit, but they’re actually really convenient to have. Amazon has a great first aid kit available that includes 100 pieces but is still compact, and it’s only $8.00! Click here to see details and buy it.

3. Laundry Hamper

Laundry hampers like this one are an essential because you can use them to carry your clothes to and from the laundry room easily. This laundry hamper from Amazon comes with carrying straps and a side pocket for detergent and dryer sheets, as well as comes in different colors. Click here to check it out.

4. Foldable Storage Bag Organizers

Continue reading Residence Hall Essentials From Amazon That You’ll Want to Buy →

RA Spotlight

Dr. Clyde S. and Pauline F. Stine Endowed Scholarship Award

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The presentation of the Stine Award has been a tradition in the Department of Housing and Residential Programs for three decades. The 2019-2020 academic year marks the 32nd year for the award. 

The Dr. Clyde S. and Pauline F Stine Endowed Scholarship was seeded in 1988, by Dr.’s 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 22 years (1946-1968).  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. 

Dr. George Stine has a unique relationship with the residence hall system at Millersville University, having spent the years of his childhood living in the residence halls during his father’s tenure as Dean of Men.  He holds fond memories of living in the original Bard, Harbold, and Diehm Halls as a child and later holding summer employment as a construction crewmember in the completion of the Dilworth Administration Building. 

Dr.’s 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 Housing and Residential Programs Stine Award Recipient for the 2019-2020 academic year is Adam T. Bachman.  Adam has been a Resident Assistant for the past three years assigned to the West Village Residence Hall complex. West Village Residence Area Director, Julia Collett describes Adam as exceeding Department expectations, greatly concerned about the success of his peers and residents and the promotion of Millersville University – a phenomenal Resident Assistant and an outstanding student, mentor and friend. 

Adam has a very distinguished history of service to Housing and Residential Programs and the campus community. A Government and Political Affairs major minoring in German, Psychology and Economics, Adam discovered his passion to help others early in his Millersville University journey, joining the Alliance for Social Change (formerly Social Work Organization) and participating in community food drives, sexual assault awareness training and advocacy events for marginalized groups.   

As Organization President and a Resident Assistant Adam implemented participation in PrideFest, Multicultural Showcase, New Admit Student Day, and hosted a campus Narcan training through the Lancaster Division of Project Lazarus.  

Incorporating advocacy principles into his Resident Assistant position he created a Tie-Dye-Versity program to promote awareness of marginalized groups.  He joined the R.A. Council to advocate for resident student concerns and was elected Student Trustee for the Millersville University Council of Trustees where he currently serves on the All University Council and the Strategic Advisory Council. Adam was selected for an internship in the Office of Homeland Security for the Governor of Pennsylvania where he learned about national and state security initiatives. This experience led to his successful application for a Federal Pathways Program with the Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Security Agency.  He will transition into employment with the Agency upon graduation.   

The Department of Housing and Residential Programs is proud to recognize and endorse Adam T. Bachman as our Stine Award Recipient for the 2019-2020 academic year. 

RA Spotlight

2019-2020 Housing and Residential Programs Resident Assistant Awards

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Each year, the Department of Housing & Residential Programs (HARP) celebrates our dedicated student staff with awards for the hard work they put into making sure our residence halls are safe and engaging living-learning communities.  We are very proud to announce the winners of these various accolades our department awards to outstanding service to the department, the University, and our students:

Overall Awards:
Best Returning RA Award

The recipient for the Outstanding Returning RA Award is awarded to the RA with at least one year of experience.  The Recipient must show the utmost leadership not only among their residents, but among their staff as well.  

Recipient: Rachel Crispin, East Village

Rachel takes it upon herself to do what needs to be done to create and build community, provide intentional support to assist her residents, and be consistently good at both. She met the challenge of having a floor to herself and did an exceptional job there. She planned and coordinated large scale programs such as East Village’s Halloween Party, is willing to help with open desk shifts and other department needs. Through many different circumstances in her life which has proved challenging, Rachel has displayed amazing resiliency, which is what I’ve been impressed by the most. It brings me a great deal of excitement and pride to nominate Rachel Crispin for Best Returner.

Best New RA Award

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, positivity 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. 

Recipient: Larry Jeter, West Village

Larry has taken a lot of initiative this year. He invests a lot of time into getting to know his residents and sees every opportunity as a way to grow. Larry is a great team player and has very high emotional intelligence.

DA of the Year Award

To the Desk Attendant who best exemplify the HARP mission, teamwork and awesome customer service skills.


Recipients: Leah Bahl (pictured on left), South Village and Megan Nolan (pictured on right), West Village

Leah is a hard worker and a great team player.  Her positive attitude has allowed her to excel at her job.  She is helpful and welcoming with residents and is always willing to work when needed. In the short time she’s been with us, she has built friendly relationships with the other DAs as well as the RAs of South Village.

Megan is always at the desk on time. She knows the names of the residents and she makes people feel welcome in West. She knows how to do her job well and she has great customer service skills. She has been a great addition to the DA staff in West.

Programming Awards:

Through the Residential Curriculum, HARP created goals for RAs to meet with their residents through four pillars: Participation, Understanding, Well-Being, Transformation.

Participation Programming Award

To the RA that has best exemplified getting their residents involved in club/org involvement, campus & RA events, study groups.

Recipient: Jade Ryan, Reighard Hall

As someone who is actively involved around campus, Jade did a great job showing others the importance of being a part of the MU community.  Whether in the hall or on campus, Jade encouraged her residents to not just come to programs, but to become a leader and take an active role in shaping the programs being offered here at Millersville.

Understanding Programming Award

To the RA that best exemplifies helping residents identify peers for study groups, utilize academic resources, confidence in analysis skills.

Recipient: Jaelinn Leftridge, West Village

Jaelinn’s ability to develop relationships with others is what allowed her to create and educational community. She brought others together to study in the front lobby and used the study lounges to do homework with residents and peers.

Well-Being Programming Award

To the RA that best exemplifies helping residents identify campus resources for holistic wellness, healthy dining options, good sleeping habits, revisit roommate agreements.

Recipients:Amanda DiPaula (pictured on top) and Jack Kopp (pictured on bottom), South Village

Floor partners Jack and Amanda have worked tirelessly during the school year to ensure the holistic health and wellness of their residents.  They created an intramural team and participated in several intramural sports with their residents.  Jack and Amanda teamed up to work with their residents regarding conflict resolution skills to create better relationships with roommates.

Transformation Programming Award

To the RA that best exemplifies helping residents identify social identities, share learning moments with RA, accomplish goals.

Recipient: Phil Romansky, West Village

At the beginning of the school year, Phil had all of his residents write down semester goals. During his 1-1’s, he checked in with his residents on where they stood in accomplishing their goals. At the beginning of the spring semester, Phil helped his residents revisit their goals. Phil wants his residents to accomplish their dreams.

Congratulations to all of our award winners!! Thank you for all you do and keep up the amazing work!

Announcements, Lifestyle / Hall Life, New / Prospective Students

The Advantages of Living in the Residence Halls

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One of the first thoughts that come to mind when thinking about college is the residence halls: What type of room do I want? Who will my roommates be? Why should I live on campus? These are common questions students ask when room selection comes around. There are many advantages to living in the residence halls.

One reason to live on campus is that it is convenient.

By choosing to live in the residence halls, you are within walking distance of your classes, the dining facilities, the fitness center, the library, and your professors. If you forgot something for your class, you have the ability to quickly pick it up from your room. (Trust me, this comes in handy!)

Another advantage to living on campus is the independence.

The college experience is about learning and growing as a person. You are away from home now and are able to set your own routine. It certainly can be nice to have some space that you can call your own. However, flexibility and freedom also comes with responsibility. Your success in college is determined by your own motivation so going to class, studying, and balancing extracurricular activities will be crucial.

You are able to be more involved on campus.

This is especially important for the freshmen and sophomores. When you live in the residence halls you are able to more easily participate in the multitude of activities and programs on campus, club and organizations meetings, guest lectures, athletic events, student government, and cultural and diversity events to just name a few. The residence halls give you a greater chance to be more involved on campus, which will create a more enriching college experience. Additionally, students who live on campus are more satisfied with their college experience and persist at higher rates than those who live elsewhere.

You get a built-in social life by living in the residence halls.

Not only do you have at least one roommate, but you also have a full building of people to get to know. Each residence hall has different activities and events that they host for the students in your building. This is a great way to get to know other students and make new friends.

There are many dining facilities to choose from.

When you live in the residence halls you never have to worry about food. You have a meal plan and a variety of different dining facilities to choose from. You have more time on your hands to utilize for studying and campus activities if you do not have to worry about grocery shopping and having to cook your own meals.

An important part of college life is being involved on campus and taking advantage of every opportunity that Millersville University has to offer. Living on campus easily affords you this experience. We are proud of our residence halls and the community that is created by our amazing students and staff that live here.

Announcements, Lifestyle / Hall Life

2020-2021 Resident Assistant Information Sessions

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Interested in becoming a Resident Assistant for the 2020–2021 school year? You must attend one info session, and you have 3 more chances of attending one!

At these info sessions, Residential Area Directors will be leading the meetings, and you’ll learn what being an RA has to offer both personally and professionally. There will also be a panel of current RAs who will be available for any questions regarding the job description of an RA.

The Resident Assistant application will open November 25, 2019, and the interview process will begin in February of Spring 2020.

Lifestyle / Hall Life, RA Spotlight

Meet the Resident Assistants — Phil Romansky

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Meet your RA: Phil Romansky, West Village

  • Name/Year/Hometown
      • Phil Romansky / Senior / Stroudsburg, PA
  • Do you have any hobbies?
      • Biking, drinking coffee, and telling dad jokes.
  • Why did you want to become an RA?
      • I wanted to become an RA to teach residents that college is something to be taken seriously. I also want to model what it is like to be a successful non-traditional student. I’m thankful to have a lot of other transfer students I can connect with.
  • What is the most valuable part of being an RA?
      • The most valuable part of being an RA is being able to mentor students. The access that we have and our responsibility with it is incredible. RAs really are creating a community, everything we do is intentional, and I love that.
  • What is your favorite program you held for your residents?
      • My favorite program was our MTO Acai Bowl program that I put on with the help of RA Quinn and RA Larry. We made a really great team, and a lot of people came out!
  • What do you hope your residents get out of you being their RA?
      • I hope that my residents learn that there is a balance to college and that they find their own balance. I am really honest with my residents, and I want them to have a realistic vision of the world before they graduate. Hopefully, I can impart that foresight onto them.
  • Do you have any valuable tips or tricks that you have learned from your time here at MU to pass on to other students?
      • Free printing at the ELC and get a BIKE!
  • What is your favorite part of living in the residence halls?
      • There’s always someone to get lunch with.
  • Why did you choose to come to Millersville?
      • Anything was better than East Stroudsburg University!
  • What is your favorite class you have taken at Millersville?
      • Public Relations Issues and Cases.
Lifestyle / Hall Life

Halloween in the Halls

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Halloween is on a Thursday this year, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be celebrated. Celebrating in the residence halls can be difficult when all you want to do is trick-or-treat like when you were little. (At least that’s how I feel every year!) While it seems like there’s no way to celebrate All Hallows Eve on campus, here are some ideas to get you into the spooky spirit!

Watch Disney Channel Original Halloween Movies.
Growing up, I was obsessed with Disney Channel Original Movies, and the Halloween ones were always my favorite. If you’re a sucker for a good old fashioned DCOM, here are some of my personal favorites.

    • Girl vs. Monster (Hulu)
    • Halloweentown (Hulu)
    • Halloweentown II: Kalabar’s Revenge (Hulu)
    • Mom’s Got a Date with a Vampire (Hulu)
    • The Scream Team (Hulu)
    • Twitches (Hulu)

Watch family Halloween movies.
DCOMs aren’t for everyone, but other family Halloween films can help you get into the spooky season. They might not have the DCOM flair, but they’re still prized gems.

    • Corpse Bride (Hulu)
    • The Haunting Hour: Don’t Think About It (Amazon; $3.99 to rent)
    • Hocus Pocus (Hulu)
    • It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (Hulu)
    • The Nightmare Before Christmas (Hulu)
    • Scooby-Doo and the Witch’s Ghost (Hulu)

Watch horror/thriller Halloween movies.
Some people want more thrills than wholesome content on Halloween, so here are some scarier films if you’d rather watch something from between your fingers.

    • The Amityville Horror (Hulu)
    • The Blair Witch Project (Amazon; $1.99 to rent)
    • Donnie Darko (Amazon; $0.99 to rent)
    • The Exorcist (Amazon; $2.99 to rent)
    • Pet Sematary (Amazon; $2.99 or $4.99 to rent)
    • Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (Amazon; $14.99 to buy — available to rent starting 11/5)

Bake themed treats and pass out candy.
If you live in East, South, or West, you can take advantage of the kitchens to bake Halloween cut-out cookies or Pillsbury Halloween sugar cookies.  You can also hand out candy to other residents on your floor. Ask your RA if you can have a small Halloween party! This will give you a fantastic excuse to wear that costume you’ve been planning for weeks.

Carve or paint pumpkins.
Carving pumpkins can get kind of messy, but you can still decorate pumpkins without the pumpkin guts! Whether you pick up some paint and a paintbrush or a knife and spoon, decorating pumpkins is a fun activity to help de-stress with friends and roommates.

Photo courtesy of Pexels.

Announcements

Meet the Resident Assistants — Sarah Hagen

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Meet your RA: Sarah Hagen, Shenks Hall

  • Name/Year/Hometown/Major(s) and Minor(s)
      • Sarah Hagen / Senior / Enola, PA / Social Work major, Psychology minor
  • Do you have any hobbies?
      • I love spending time with family and friends, reading, traveling, and anything involving music or art.
  • Why did you want to become an RA?
      • I wanted to become an RA to gain leadership experience and have an opportunity to get to know people and be more involved in the Millersville community.
  • What is the most valuable part of being an RA?
      • I think it’s really valuable to be in a position where I have the opportunity to help fellow students make more of their time at Millersville. Whether it’s working out a roommate conflict, helping learn more about available resources, or just talking about how their week is going, I really value being able to have a role in creating a positive experience for my residents.
  • What is your favorite program you held for your residents?
      • Probably the finger painting one I held at the beginning of this semester! There was an excellent turnout, and everyone seemed to have a really good time. It was a great opportunity for people to take a break and relax doing something fun and meet other people in the building, and it was really neat to see how creative people got with it.
  • What do you hope your residents get out of you being their RA?
      • I hope that I can be a source of encouragement and support.
  • Do you have any valuable tips or tricks that you have learned from your time here at MU to pass on to other students?
      • Don’t worry about what other people are doing. Everyone in college is having a different experience and takes a different path to reach their goals. Focusing on what other people are doing makes it too easy to lose sight of your own progress, and you don’t want to do that! Figure out what system works for you, and don’t be afraid to do some trial and error. And reach out — there are so many people here who are willing to help you with whatever you might be struggling with if you speak up.
  • What is your favorite part of living in the residence halls?
      • I like how many people it’s allowed me to meet who I might not have otherwise and how easy it is to get involved.
  • Why did you choose to come to Millersville?
      • When I visited, I fell in love with the campus and immediately felt at home. I felt like there was a strong sense of community here and wanted to be able to be a part of it.
  • What is your favorite class you have taken at Millersville?
      • Perspectives on Poverty with Dr. Frank. This class was so eye-opening and really solidified that I wanted to be working in social work.
  • Do you have any upcoming events?
      • Yes! I have an event called Think Pink tonight (10/29). Residents will be able to stop by and write notes of encouragement to be sent to Girls Love Mail, which is an organization working to provide handwritten letters to women who have recently received a breast cancer diagnosis.
Lifestyle / Hall Life, RA Spotlight

Meet the Resident Assistants — Maddie Feeman

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Meet your RA: Maddie Feeman, South Village

  • Name/Hometown/Major(s)
      • Madison Feeman / Duel Early Childhood and Special Education / Wyomissing, PA
  • Do you have any hobbies?
      • When I have some free time, I love to read.
  • Why did you want to become an RA?
      • I wanted to become an RA to have the opportunity to gain leadership experience. I also wanted to be able to make connections with more students while also helping them reach their personal goals.
  • What is the most valuable part of being an RA?
      • The most valuable part of being an RA is being able to gain life-long friendships with the staff and the residents.
  • What is your favorite program you held for your residents?
      • My favorite program that I’ve held was “Pie an RA!” This program was held with RAs CJ and Jack, and we raised $255 for the Millersville Relay for Life!
  • What do you hope your residents get out of you being their RA?
      • I hope my residents are able to feel like if they’re struggling, or if they feel alone, they always have me supporting them and cheering them on.
  • Do you have any valuable tips or tricks that you have learned from your time here at MU to pass on to other students?
      • Do the things that YOU want to do. If you only do what other people want you to do, you won’t be able to become the best version of yourself. Find a new club or organization or department that intrigues you, and do what makes you happy.
  • What is your favorite part of living in the residence halls?
      • My favorite part of living in the Residence Halls is all of the programming and community-building that happens to build bonds and relationships.
  • Why did you choose to come to Millersville?
      • I chose to come to Millersville for a lot of reasons. However, for me, the most important reason is that, as soon as I stepped on campus, I felt a sense of community and family, and Millersville felt like home.
  • What is your favorite class you have taken at Millersville?
      • So far, my favorite class at Millersville is Dr. Himmele’s ERCH 485—Teaching English Language Learners.
  • Do you have any upcoming events?
      • I currently have Identi-TEA and Stress Ball Making on October 30th, where students can come drink some hot tea, make stress balls, and work on making goals. Later this semester, RA Connor and I will have some more Relay for Life fundraisers for students to participate in!
Announcements, Lifestyle / Hall Life

How to Stay Safe in and Around the Residence Halls

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With daylight saving time coming to a close soon and days being darker longer, it’s essential to stay alert and safe on campus and around the residence halls. Here are some tips to keep yourself and your belongings safe this fall and winter.

Lock your doors.
Even when you’re in your room, you should lock your doors. It only takes a few seconds to enter an unlocked room and take books, cash, laptops, etc. If someone knocks on your door, look through the peephole before opening the door.

Carry your key and ID.
Keeping your ID and room key on your person ensures your room and valuables stay safe. Never give your ID or room key to someone else, and return lost IDs to the campus ID Office located in Boyer.

Sign in guests.
Don’t let people tailgate into the residence halls. If you think someone has entered the residence halls without a resident, contact the Resident Assistant on duty. Always accompany your guests throughout their stay in the residence halls, and be sure to sign them in and out of the building with the Desk Assistant or RA at the desk.

Keep your valuables secure.
Don’t leave backpacks, books, laptops, or other valuables unattended in public or in your unlocked room. This includes large amounts of cash. Keep your money in the bank and withdraw it when you need it.

Walk in well-lit areas.
If you have to walk around campus or around the residence halls after the sun sets, make sure to walk along sidewalks and pathways that have lampposts. Walking in dark areas could potentially increase the chance of something happening to your person or belongings.

Use the buddy system after dark.
Whether you physically use the buddy system or the LiveSafe app, having friends escort you to your destination greatly improves your safety. Walk to late-night classes with friends or have them virtually walk with you to make sure you get to your destination safely.

Create a safety kit.
While Millersville has a strict “no deadly or offensive weapon” policy, students can carry pepper spray to keep themselves safe. Carrying a whistle will alert those nearby when you require assistance or are in danger. Keep your safety kit handy so you can grab it easily at any time.

Learn self-defense.
The Martial Arts Club offers kickboxing classes, taekwondo classes, and Russian martial arts (ROSS) classes throughout the week. All three martial arts are forms of self-defense, and no prior experience is required! You can learn more information about the classes offered on the Martial Arts Club’s GetInvolved page.