Residence Life at Messiah University

First Year Experience

• Picnics (each semester) - an event held each semester for students to enjoy a meal together outside the residence hall rather than in a dining facility.
• New Student Games (fall semester) - a community-bonding friendly competition between residence halls that provides space for students to get to know their classmates within the first weekend. This event also assist in beginning to build pride in their living area with the chance to win the golden torch.
• Life Hacks (fall semester) - an event with break-out sessions on topics pertaining to adjusting to college, covering topics such as study skills, communicating with professors, time management, etc.
• Hall Trick or Treating (fall semester) - who says you can't trick or treat in college? Dress up and meander around the residence hall enjoying candy from various rooms.
• Deck the Halls (fall semester) - this friendly floor competition allows each floor to pick a theme and literally deck their halls with Christmas cheer pertaining to that theme. Faculty/staff judges go to each floor and announce the grand wining floor, which gets the golden rocking horse!
• iFast (spring semester) - this event allows space for students to unplug from any non-academic technology to reflect on the role of technology in their lives and consider connecting with the Lord and others in different ways. This events culminates with a worship service at the end.
• Sync the Halls (spring semester) - get your lip sync on! The floor competition allows floors to create a dance and lip sing to a song, competing for the golden mic!
• Sneak Peak (spring semester) - an opportunity for students to visit other residence hall spaces to see where they might want to live before housing sign-ups begin.

Upper Class Experience

• After College Life Hacks (each semester) - an event with break-out sessions on topics pertaining to life after college covering an array of topics from job readiness, to budgeting and repaying student loans, finding a place to rent, cooking strategies/tips, car maintenance, etc.
• Sophomore Chapel Series (fall semester) - a chapel series focusing on the sophomore experience. This series normalizes the sophomore experience and helps students understand what they might experience during their sophomore year, providing resources and helpful tips for how to navigate their evolving experience and combat "the sophomore slump".
• Coffee and Calling (each semester) - This one-time chapel focuses on vocation and calling, exploring the different ways God calls people and directs them in their vocation.
• Sneak Peak (spring semester) - an opportunity for students to visit other residence hall spaces to see where they might want to live before housing sign-ups begin.
• Various Res Hall Specific events (spring semester) - each residence hall puts on their own building-wide events from cook-outs, to cereal & cartoons to study breaks and more.

• Resident Assistants (RAs) - these student leaders oversee a floor or section's living area providing holistic support to their residents while also planning and implementing opportunities for deeper connections, learning, and growth.
• Residence Directors (RDs) - these professional staff members oversee one or two residential spaces and provide supervision to the RAs and overall care to residents while navigating facilities needs and promoting ongoing student learning outside the classroom.
• Ambassadors for Residential Ministry (ARMs) - this student leader provides living areas with a go-to person for ongoing spiritual encouragement, prayer, and faith-enriching activities.
• RA On Clock-every residence has a Residence Life student staff person (RA) on duty from 7:00 PM to 7:00 AM seven days a week. Their purpose is to answer any calls from residents in the building, assisting with lock-outs or serving as a listening ear. These numbers are located throughout each residential building.
• RD On Call-should an RA and/or student need additional support in caring for and coming alongside a student, the RA can reach out to the RD On Call who is available 24/7.
• Student EMTs - Messiah students who are certified EMTs can continue to gain valuable experience by serving as on-call student EMTs responding to on-campus medical concerns. These students provide support and first aid, and assist the Department of Safety in calling an ambulance when needed.
• Counselor On Call - should a student be experiencing a mental health crisis and need to speak with a Messiah counselor, the RD On Call can connect the student with this counselor.
• Timely Care - all current students have access to this free mental and physical health support that includes being connected to a professional within five minutes utilizing the Talk Now feature. Additionally, there are de-stress opportunities like virtual yoga and tips on various concerns such as boundaries, relationship concerns, anxiety, etc. This resource is available to enrolled students 24/7 even on breaks and over the summer.
• Department of Safety - Safety Officers work 24/7 year-round to foster safe environments for students. Safety Officers respond to concerns and also patrol campus promoting the safety of students and facilities.