Category: Elections

Education: Mechanical Engineering Major

Leadership Track Status: Completed

State your motivation for joining the RHA Executive Board.

Being on the executive board for RHA this past year has been such a fulfilling and fun experience. I’ve been able to serve residents by representing them and their interests in meetings with the Director of Housing Residence Life, connected with hall council officers through socials, trainings, and LCs, and been able to spearhead development of the organization through our goals. I’ve had so much fun interacting with hall council officers, attending conferences, and having a greater impact on residents that I want to continue to impact campus next year.

Please discuss any obligations (work, extracurricular, and otherwise) that you anticipate having external to RHA during the duration of your intended term and how you plan to balance/prioritize your commitments.

During next year, my only major plan is to be on the executive board of RHA. This past year, I have successfully led RHA while also being the Treasurer for the Wrestling Club @ Georgia Tech, President of the Pi Tau Sigma Mechanical Engineering Honor Society, a grader for Rigid Body Dynamics (ME 2202), and involved in research in Dr. Hu’s lab. Next year, I will be stepping back in many of these organizations, serving as just a member or a student advisor. I will also not be a grader for a class. These other organizations and research will take up a maximum of 10 hours per week. When on the RHA Executive Board, RHA will be my top priority. All other commitments are flexible with attendance and commitment level, and I am able, willing, and planning to lower my commitment so I pour all the time I possibly can into my responsibilities for RHA. Clear communication is important to me, so I will make sure to communicate all conflicts that may arise with the rest of the executive board. I will make sure to put RHA and residents first, and then my other commitments will come second.

Executive President

Please discuss any relevant prior experience and how it has prepared you for the position(s) you are
applying for.

I have served in the position of Executive President for the last year. I have a lot of passion for this role, as it gives me the opportunity to understand firsthand the responsibility that comes with representing residents across campus, and the actions I need to take to ensure the organization runs properly. I develop myself as a person, while serving the campus community. As president this year, I have had the chance to meet with the Director of Housing and Residence Life, SGA’s Housing Chair, and SGA’s VP of Campus Affairs to discuss issues that residents had communicated to us, and how we can best use RHA’s budget and the DOH’s budget to fund initiative to better provide resources to residents who might not have them. I personally worked on helping SGA finalize the Menstrual Product Program, bringing these products to some dorms around campus to assist students that face troubles getting these products. I have also been working with SGA on a first aid kit initiative, trying to get first aid supplies into dorms to provide immediate care resources to students who lack kits themselves. Being able to advocate for improvements in the dorm has been a very rewarding experience, where I’ve developed the skills needed for effective communication of issues and generating solutions to the issues. I have also been able to lead the organization through achieving its goals for the year. With respect to making the organization more visible across campus, I’ve been a part of the execution of all our major programs, from Fall Festival to our Week of Welcome events. In addition, I also had the opportunity to represent the organization and all residents in public spaces like the fall organization fair, a well-attended public MLK panel hosted by the department of housing, and soon the groundbreaking of the new student dormitory at Curran street. For the goal of building community within the organization, I have been able to work with the Director of Development about how to make social events more engaging, lunch and learns more interesting, and how to improve our trainings all around. I was also able to institute a plan to have the executive board attend more Hall Council meetings throughout the semester so we can be more accessible to the officers. I look forward to seeing you HCOs at your meetings throughout the semester! Finally, I’ve made Legislative Council meetings more engaging by instituting themes, having a larger budget for food, and including fun quizzes to give a little brain break from the meeting. For the goal of improving internal infrastructure, I’ve encouraged the Exec Board members to send out more calendar invites for events so information can be shared in more ways that work for different members of the organization. I also expanded our executive cabinet to integrate RAs and NRHH into RHA more and amended the constitution to include committees and give residents and officers a pathway to contribute to the campus-level of the organization more readily. I’ve had so much fun being able to take part in moving the organization closer to these goals, and hope to continue to Grow the organization as I Lead members in Uniting residents across campus next year. While I have served as Executive President, I started RHA as the Finance Officer of the Nelson Shell Community (now hall) Council. While serving as a Financial Officer, I gained a very good understanding of RHA policy that has been beneficial while supporting Hall Council officers. The most important thing that I’ve developed while on the hall council, however, was the ability to work as a team. Nelson Shell community council was made up of mostly new faces, and we had to quickly come to understand one another and define our expectations for one another. We then had to figure out what our own responsibilities were and figure out how we best worked together with one another. We finished the semester functioning as a well-oiled machine, I will make sure that the new executive board quickly breaks through the troubles that come with an unfamiliar team, and make sure the Executive Board runs like a well-oiled machine that can serve residents across campus. In addition to my leadership in RHA, I have also served in various leadership positions from Vice President of Operations of the ME Honor Society, President of the ME Honor Society, and Treasurer of the Wrestling Club @ Georgia Tech. All these positions have given me experience in keeping members engaged in the respective organizations through high quality programs and activity, while working with teams of other leaders to make sure that the organization is growing and catering to the needs of the members. Additionally, I have also acted as a bridge between overhead organizations and the members of my organizations, advocating for the members. These experiences have heavily helped prepare me for the work I have been doing over the past year and will continue to act as foundation for the planning and advocacy I do for residents. My oldest leadership position is Senior Patrol Leader of my scout troop in high school, where I successfully led the troop through the COVID-19 pandemic and gained my Eagle Scout Rank. Leading the troop entailed working directly with the patrol leaders to make sure that they were effectively running their patrols, as well as helping them out with any issues that arose. As Executive President, I directly with the Executive Board, making sure that everything is running smoothly in their positions and finding ways I can help. I also serve as a point of contact for Hall Council Officers and external organizations that need support or advice on something in the community. I have the know-how to reach out to people, and make sure that everything is going well. These experiences have helped build up my ability to reach out and communicate with others to make sure everything is going well.

Please discuss your interest in the specific position(s) you are applying for.

I am especially interested in the Executive President position because it is the position where I can have the greatest impact on residents. Being the direct line with the key administration means that I have a real impact on how the Department of Housing deals with residents. I will be able to elevate residents’ ideas to them and hear from them what direction the Department of Housing is heading. I want to be able to have a real impact on the Department of Housing, and there isn’t a better position to that end. I also want to be Executive President because they are arguably the most visible member of the Executive Board. This will give me the ability to connect with Hall Council officers and other residents more easily about what is happening in their community, whether that be something good or something that needs to change. This will give me the opportunity to help and make a change, if need be, or just encourage or support them. As president of the Residence Hall Association, I want to be able to support residents who need it, and make residents’ needs and ideas come to fruition.

What do you plan to bring to the position(s) and organization at large?

Beyond my prior experience, I am proud to bring my listening skills, thoroughness, and dedication to the organization. I am proud to bring the fact that I am a good listener to this position. Being able to not just hear, but to listen to other people will is a highly beneficial quality for Executive President because I am the person who has a direct line to some of the key administration in the Department of Housing. This allows me to bring what residents want from the Department of Housing up the chain accurately and convey important information from the Department down to residents. This gives me a good platform for serving as a representative, but that platform is enhanced by the fact that I am also good at talking. I can effectively communicate the needs of residents to the administration and incite changes that benefit all residents. I am also someone who is very thorough. When I work on any project, be that schoolwork or extracurricular, I make sure to put in my utmost to make sure the result is above standard. This can be seen through my academic achievements. I strive for this excellence as I serve as Executive President in all the interactions I have, meetings I run, and events I help plan. I will do my best to make sure that RHA is correctly representing what the residents want and need to the Department of Housing and the greater Georgia Tech community. I will also bring time to the organization. Because I will not dedicate too much time to other extracurricular activities, I will make sure that RHA benefits from that extra time I have. I will pour my time into the different events and initiatives that RHA has, as well as talking with residents to make sure that the organization can perform how it needs to, and more.

If you could improve any one thing about RHA—related to your position(s) of interest or not—what
would it be and why?

I want to improve the amount of community building that RHA does. RHA is an organization that puts on many different fun events, organizes initiatives, and has regular hall council meetings, but I still feel as though many residents don’t really understand what kind of communities they miss out on by not engaging with hall council and legislative council. I want more people to have positive experiences with Hall Council and RHA, so they find opportunities to get plugged into residential and campus wide community. I also want to build up the feeling of community between Hall Council officers and exec, providing more opportunities for them to connect, share ideas, collaborate, and voice concerns. If this was improved, I feel like there would be an increase in wellness in dorms and across campus, and residents would have a better residential experience, getting to know others in their dorms. I know from experience that being on hall council and exec has let me meet many different people that I would not have ever met if not for it.

If your answer to the previous question is something that can be fixed, how might that be done? If it’s
something that can’t be changed, what can we do to adjust?

One way that RHA could build better community is diversifying the types of events that we put on. RHA exec could put on more social events focused on dorm areas to build connections between HCOs living in areas. Another type of event could be through pop-up booths where residents can talk to a member of the Executive Board and grab some stuff. There could also be more Lunch and Learns and discussions with prominent figures on campus to give residents and HCOs a chance to bring suggestions to campus administration. Another way RHA could build community is through being even more responsive to the needs of residents. This would build a stronger sense of residents’ voices being heard and allow for stronger bonds to form around advocacy. One idea I have is to make an easily accessible form for residents where they can put general concerns that they are having about their housing situation, or otherwise. This would allow RHA to have a direct line of what the residents want and what they are concerned about so that I would be able to bring this up with the key administration in the Department of Housing. RHA could also host “town halls”, where residents can come and talk with the organizational leadership about their issues. Residents can also be encouraged to bring their worries or changes they want to see in the form of resolutions to Legislative Council through emails, at events, and at Hall Council Meetings. RHA could also build community by making it even more fun for participants. This could be done through improving things RHA already does, like community sessions at Legislative Council, events put on by the Executive Board, through further improving the trainings, or through more meaningful and interesting office hours.

Education: Mechanical Engineering Major

Leadership Track Status: Completed

State your motivation for joining the RHA Executive Board.

I wish to return to the Executive Board because I have seen and been able to contribute to the positive effect of events and initiatives that have been put forth as the current Director of Development. RHA’s events, HCO’s events, and even internal RHA social events give a chance for residents to come together, have fun, and alleviate the stress of school. I want to continue helping with planning and executing them. Additionally, I have seen the positive effect of the work I have been doing, by improving trainings and hosting worthwhile events for HCOs and want to contribute more to making RHA a fun and useful organization to be part of.

Please discuss any obligations (work, extracurricular, and otherwise) that you anticipate having external to RHA during the duration of your intended term and how you plan to balance/prioritize your commitments.

This upcoming year, I will most likely hold a student advisor position in the Wrestling Club on campus. This will be a major step back from this year where I served as Executive President and successfully completed my duties as Director of Development simultaneously. Though the wrestling club hosts 2-3 two-hour evening practices per week, I have managed to secure a wrestling practice time that does not conflict with most RHA meetings and events. When there has been a conflict, such as on the night of the Fall Festival, I have prioritized my RHA commitments. I intend to continue this into the following year, especially since I will be in a position with lesser responsibilities. The wrestling club has low commitment requirements for members and has a strong executive board who has and will cover for me and allows me to put my time into RHA should any time conflicts arise. In addition to the Wrestling Club, I will hold an executive board position in the Pi Tau Sigma honor society. This is a continuation from this year and a much less rigorous role than RHA, with a much smaller scope of responsibilities, so I will be able to put my all into my Executive Board role. I will also be in Tau Beta Pi honor society as a member, and it is another low commitment role.

Director of Development

Please discuss any relevant prior experience and how it has prepared you for the position(s) you are
applying for.

My most relevant experience to date is my current role as the Director of Development of RHA. This year, I have gained a lot of experience starting from the summer of 2024. Over the summer, I began building experience by building the Hall Council of the Year award criteria that is in use for this current Hall Council Year from scratch. I learned how to coordinate between different positions on the executive board, working to host a cook-out event over the summer and Week-of-Welcome events. During our regular year, I have worked to organize both the Hall Council Officer Fall Training and the Hall Council Officer Spring Training. Using feedback from Hall Council Officers, I was able to work to improve the Spring Training and create a better and more social experience. I also worked to host social events and lunch and learns, trying to find times and activities that can allow Hall Council Officers (HCOs) to learn, grow and have fun. Through my time as Director of Development, I have built skills that allow me to coordinate with the executive board. Working with our current executive board has shown me the importance of collaborating to make events enjoyable and diverse. I have learned the importance of being reachable as well as utilizing different communication methods to get the word about events out to Hall Council Officers. Getting to know HCOs and recognizing them for the work they do is just as important as providing opportunities for them. By being open and communicating effectively, I have been striving to bridge the gap between the executive board and HCOs. I have also learned how to host a successful social event and lunch and learn. This has allowed HCOs to bond and to develop as students and professionals. I feel that the important lessons I have learned in the role of the Director of Development help to prepare me for another term and would allow me to start strongly. Another relevant prior experience was my time as Meetings Coordinator of the Nelson-Shell Community (Hall) Council. In this role, I worked with my fellow Community (Hall) Council Officers to host weekly community council meetings, to plan events in the community, and to work closely with residents to hear about issues about our building and to pass bills that are transformative for the community. During my time in the role, I was also able to complete the Larry T. Brown Leadership track and win Meetings Coordinator of the Year and a Bronze Pin of Recognition. These responsibilities help prepare me for the role of Director of Development since I will be able to communicate effectively with the rest of the Executive Board on important matters. I have been able to use my experience writing meeting agendas to keep the discussion on track and meaningful. I have been able to use my ability to work in a team to effectively distribute work so that everyone in the Executive Board will feel like they are part of a team and something greater. I want to keep using these skills I have as a baseboard for growing and serving RHA. I have additional leadership experience from my time as Wrestling Club Executive President. Leading the wrestling club has taught me important lessons in communicating with campus resources, managing my time to make sure that things are moving forward and that I am making the most with the time I have, and taking the collective wishes of my club members into account and properly conveying those outwards. Communication with campus resources is important since they are integral to everything that happens. Though I have mainly communicated with the CRC, I have learned the etiquette needed when working with others and the important lesson to have enough time. Managing my time is extremely important when balancing all my responsibilities. My time as Wrestling Club Executive President has taught me the importance of keeping an accurate to-do list and following up with myself and others. These are things I implement frequently and find important to maintaining a proper running organization, regardless of the role. Arguably, the most important thing I have learned is advocating for my club members. As Director of Development, I will need to advocate for HCOs. Knowing how to collect their voices and how to present it most effectively is something crucial for this position that I have experience in. The final position that I have held that will prepare me for this role is the Senior Patrol Leader in my Scout Troop when I was in high school. Though it is a position I held when I was younger, I learned important lessons about communicating with advisors and event execution. As the Senior Patrol Leader, I did a lot of communicating with the adults in my troop to get a benchmark of where we were and where we needed to go. This was tantamount in my growth since I learned how to be prepared for these conversations and I learned how to set reasonable goals and expectations. I learned a lot about event execution as well. One of my responsibilities was to plan troop outings and itineraries. This helped me in coming up with fun yet fulfilling ways to spend time during events and then executing them. Many of the merit badge focused camping trips and events that I hosted functioned similarly to training sessions for younger scouts. Though it is not exactly equivalent, I will continue to use these skills of knowing what keeps people engaged to plan strong HCOFT and HCOST sessions.

Please discuss your interest in the specific position(s) you are applying for.

I am interested in being Director of Development because I want to continue to support the hall councils and to help them grow. As an HCO, I had a lot of fun. Being able to support HCOs as Director of Development has allowed me to help others to have an even better experience than I have. I would love to continue supporting the trainings and enjoy my interactions with officers. I enjoy hosting social events and lunch and learns and want to keep hosting events that are engaging for HCOs. Additionally, I would love to continue to approve the HCOFT and HCOST sessions to bring an engaging and riveting experience for our officers. I really wish to use the feedback from officers to keep growing and bettering the experience that they have all around.

What do you plan to bring to the position(s) and organization at large?

I plan to bring my work-ethic and my outgoing personality to the organization and positions. I have a very strong work ethic. I strive to get all my work done on time and to the highest quality. This shows through different facets of my life. In school, I am at the top of my class. As Director of Development, I have done this by more than doubling the amount of Lunch and Learns and Social events that were offered in the previous year. I have also found ways to make trainings more efficient and social based, managing to shrink the long training parts from a 6-hour session at HCOFT, to a 2-hour session at the HCOFT recap, to a 1-hour block at HCOST. I also cut the training time in half, moving from an 8-hour day to a 4-hour session. As meetings coordinator last year, I took my role to review bills and present them correctly and effectively at meetings very seriously. I made a point of knowing and reviewing policy in the policy book and following it and what I learned in training when dealing with bills and meetings. Despite this, many of the residents who went repeatedly to the Nelson-Shell community council attended because I was able to make it fun for them. I do not let my seriousness about policy get in the way of my interactions with residents and others. I even used tiny explanations of why I do things the way I do to bring humor to the meetings. I feel that my ability to be hardworking and my personality blend together in a way that would allow me to act uniquely. Another thing I plan to bring to the position is my ability to be flexible when the situation requires it. I find it important to plan meetings and events out fully, however, when last minute changes come around, I can act and pivot to make the most of the situation or to find a better alternative. This is something that I have been cultivating all the way back since high school. One example is when a Scout Camporee (a multi-troop skill competition) was canceled after we got to the camping site camping, and I designed an in-troop skill competition so we could still do almost everything we set out to do on that camping trip. I also have continued to be flexible here in school with my role as DOD, and The Wrestling Club as well. This struck unexpectedly when a resident approached me and the Hall Council officers of Nelson Shell, wanting to host a 64 person trivia event. Though it was not something I was accustomed to in my role, I happily worked with them to reserve the Cypress Theater, order food, and set up and take down for the event. The event was successful, and I was able to help without sacrificing my other duties. To the organization, I plan to bring my dedication to the role that I am in. I plan to do my upmost to keep RHA as a great organization and using my time management skills and my ability to plan accordingly, I plan on putting time to building the organization’s training resources and finding ways to effectively communicate information to HCOs.

If you could improve any one thing about RHA—related to your position(s) of interest or not—what
would it be and why?

If I could improve one thing about RHA, I would try to get the Executive Board more involved in attending hall councils across the campus. In my opinion, currently, the best way to interface with the members of the executive board is Legislative Council. While I think Legislative Council is great, I think it would be wonderful if members of the Executive Board could come to hall councils campuswide occasionally. I feel that it would not need to be a steadfast rule that says that they need to be at every council meeting, but maybe just 1 or 2 per semester to say hi and to help build a stronger relationship between the community councils and the executive board. This is something I have started to work on this year, but feel that could be improved greatly next year.

If your answer to the previous question is something that can be fixed, how might that be done? If it’s
something that can’t be changed, what can we do to adjust?

I feel that this is a problem that can’t be fully fixed but can be acted upon depending on the Executive Board’s Availability. The current Executive Board has shown interest in coming to meetings and has started to work towards attending more meetings; however, I have seen how tricky it can be to coordinate schedules. There is a living resource on the RHA website that gives the current meeting times and locations for community councils. Leveraging that and working with the executive president to create an initiative that helps Executive Board members coming to Hall Council Meetings could help to make this more of a reality. Unfortunately, though there are a lot of variables to overcome in this, some things that could be improved to help the executive board and individual community councils’ bond better could be a stronger emphasis on customizing bylaws and passing resolutions. The bylaws help to set the culture for a specific community council; however, I feel they can be overlooked since they hold a lot of similar information as the policy book. Utilizing these bylaws could help the Executive Board get a better feeling on the culture and the priorities of the members in the community council which could help to foster a better relationship during interactions at Legislative Council. Another thing is resolutions. Resolutions can be fun as well as serious. Something that RHA has considered in the past that I would like to bring back is hosting fun resolutions to help create a more interconnected feeling across RHA. Another thing that could be improved to help the executive board and individual community councils’ bond could be a stronger emphasis on hosting multi-community events, passing them through Legislative Council, and inviting the executive board. This way, the executive board would be able to see some of the amazing work that community councils are doing while also being able to interact with them on less of a ‘work’ basis. An example of this type of event is the Fall Physical Wellness Festival. This event, spearheaded by Hemphill Hall Council, was one such event. It managed to bring a similar amount of buzz as an event hosted by the executive board itself and helped the executive board get to know Hemphill Hall Council’s members. I believe that finding ways to encourage feedback from hall council officers would also bridge this gap. During my time as Director of Development, I feel that communicating only through teams puts limitations on HCOs and what they feel they can say and want to look for a way to help establish a 2-way street of conversation between HCOs and the executive board.

Education: Computer Science Major

Leadership Track Status: Has Not Started

State your motivation for joining the RHA Executive Board.

My motivation for joining the RHA Executive Board is to promote students’ mental, physical, spiritual, and academic well-being. As a Georgia Tech resident, Resident Assistant, and student, I’ve witnessed burnout, self-doubt, and the pressure to excel, often leading to isolation and anxiety. For instance, I helped a resident facing a financial crisis by calming them, empathizing, and connecting them with the STAR program. They were grateful for the support. I aim to raise awareness of resources like STAR and foster a stronger sense of community so students feel supported and less alone.

Please discuss any obligations (work, extracurricular, and otherwise) that you anticipate having external to RHA during the duration of your intended term and how you plan to balance/prioritize your commitments.

During my anticipated term on the RHA Executive Board, I will be participating in three clubs and four classes. The clubs include the Georgia Tech Society of Black Engineers (GTSBE), the Black Students in Computing Organization (BSCO), and Afro Dance. My classes will consist of three STEM-related courses and one psychology course. To manage my time effectively, I will rely on the planner and calendar I have synced across all my devices, ensuring I stay ahead in all my coursework. This way, I can dedicate as much attention as possible to RHA. While school will remain my top priority, as it should for all students, I will complete all work and studying thoroughly and ahead of time to prevent any interference with my RHA responsibilities.

Director of Development

Please discuss any relevant prior experience and how it has prepared you for the position(s) you are
applying for.

Throughout my life, I have consistently found myself in roles that required collaboration, leadership, and a strong sense of responsibility. These experiences have shaped me into a team-oriented individual who thrives in environments where collective success is the goal. From my years in band to my time as a lifeguard and now as a Resident Assistant (RA), I have learned the importance of communication, adaptability, and encouragement in achieving shared objectives. During my time in band, from elementary school through high school, I worked closely with my bandmates to create music that required precision, timing, and harmony. One memorable example was during my junior year when our band was preparing for a statewide competition. We were struggling to synchronize during a particularly challenging piece. As a section leader, I took the initiative to organize extra practice sessions and worked one-on-one with members who needed additional support. By fostering a sense of camaraderie and encouraging open communication, we not only mastered the piece but also placed first in the competition. This experience taught me the value of patience, persistence, and the importance of uplifting others to achieve a common goal. Similarly, my time on the swim team reinforced the importance of teamwork and mutual support. Swimming is often seen as an individual sport, but the team dynamic is crucial for morale and success. I remember a specific meet where one of my teammates was struggling with their performance and considering quitting the team. I took the time to talk with them, share my own struggles, and remind them of their strengths. Together, we developed a training plan that helped them regain confidence. By the end of the season, they were one of our top performers. This experience showed me the power of encouragement and the impact of believing in others. As a lifeguard for two years, I honed my ability to remain calm under pressure and make quick, informed decisions. One summer, during a particularly busy day at the pool, a child began struggling in the deep end. I immediately jumped into action, coordinating with another lifeguard to clear the area and safely rescue the child. Afterward, I stayed with the child and their family to ensure they felt safe and supported. This experience reinforced the importance of clear communication, teamwork, and empathy in high-stakes situations. In my current role as an RA, I have carried these lessons with me. I strive to be a warm and encouraging figure for my residents, whether I’m helping them navigate conflicts, offering academic advice, or simply being someone they can talk to. For example, earlier this semester, one of my residents was feeling overwhelmed by their coursework and personal responsibilities. I sat down with them to create a manageable schedule, connected them with campus resources, and checked in regularly to offer support. Seeing their confidence grow and their stress levels decrease was incredibly rewarding. These experiences have prepared me to take on a leadership role within RHA, where I can continue to foster a sense of community and support for others.

Please discuss your interest in the specific position(s) you are applying for.

I am excited to apply for the Director of Development (DOD) position within RHA because it aligns perfectly with my passion for leadership development and community building. The DOD role offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of RHA by enhancing training programs, fostering collaboration, and supporting the growth of both Executive Board members and Area Council leaders. I am particularly drawn to the responsibility of serving as an advisor to those who may feel uncertain about leading their hall councils. I believe my experience as an RA, combined with my ability to connect with others and provide guidance, makes me well-suited for this role. I am eager to contribute to RHA’s mission by creating meaningful training opportunities, strengthening partnerships, and ensuring that every member of the organization feels empowered to succeed.

What do you plan to bring to the position(s) and organization at large?

.If selected as the Director of Development, I plan to bring a proactive and innovative approach to leadership development and organizational growth. One of my primary goals is to revamp the RHA Leadership Track to make it more interactive and impactful. I envision incorporating hands-on workshops, mentorship opportunities, and real-world scenarios that prepare members for the challenges they may face in their roles. For example, I would introduce a “Leadership Simulation Day,” where participants work through hypothetical situations, such as resolving conflicts within their hall councils or planning large-scale events. This practical approach will not only build confidence but also equip leaders with the skills they need to excel. Additionally, I aim to strengthen the bond between the Executive Board and Area Councils by organizing regular collaborative events. These could include joint community service projects, team-building activities, or even informal social gatherings. By fostering a sense of unity and shared purpose, I believe we can create a more cohesive and effective organization. Finally, I am committed to ensuring that RHA’s training programs are inclusive and accessible to all members. I will work closely with the Advisor and other leaders to develop resources that address the diverse needs of our community. Whether it’s providing additional support for first-time leaders or creating materials in multiple formats (e.g., videos, guides, and in-person sessions), I want every member to feel prepared and supported in their roles.

If you could improve any one thing about RHA—related to your position(s) of interest or not—what
would it be and why?

.One area I would like to improve is the visibility and accessibility of RHA’s resources and events. While RHA offers valuable programs and support, I’ve noticed that not all residents are aware of these opportunities. Increasing awareness would not only enhance participation but also strengthen the sense of community within our residence halls. By improving communication and outreach, we can ensure that every resident feels connected and supported.

If your answer to the previous question is something that can be fixed, how might that be done? If it’s
something that can’t be changed, what can we do to adjust?

.To address the issue of visibility, I propose implementing a multi-channel communication strategy. This could include creating a centralized RHA newsletter, utilizing social media platforms more effectively, and partnering with Resident Assistants to promote events and resources within their halls. Additionally, I would recommend hosting “RHA Awareness Weeks” at the beginning of each semester, where we set up informational booths, host open houses, and distribute materials about our programs. By making RHA’s presence more visible and engaging, we can ensure that all residents are aware of the opportunities available to them and feel encouraged to participate.

Education: Computer Science Major

Leadership Track Status: Has Not Started

State your motivation for joining the RHA Executive Board.

There are many reasons as to why I want to join the RHA Executive Board, but above all is my desire to provide cheerful service to others. Serving on the RHA Executive Board would allow me to be a servant to the residents of Georgia Tech, allowing me to work for them to make residence life what they desire. Furthermore, I strongly believe that serving on the RHA Executive Board would provide me with unparalleled experience of working with and representing thousands of residents to improve their transition and experience during college.

Please discuss any obligations (work, extracurricular, and otherwise) that you anticipate having external to RHA during the duration of your intended term and how you plan to balance/prioritize your commitments.

Outside of RHA, I have commitments to an internship over the summer, school work during the term, GT Airsoft club, and Scouting. In order to balance/prioritize my commitments I plan to schedule in advance and keep track of deadlines on a calendar. I have greatly improved my time management effectiveness using these methods over the past year. School has always been my top priority as being a good student allows me to enjoy the extra organizations that I am able to be a part of. Additionally, working with my fellow officers on the Executive Board would allow us to ensure that representation is coordinated, understanding that everybody has personal commitments that should be taken into account. If elected to the Executive Board, RHA would become my biggest priority outside of schoolwork to ensure that the thousands of Georgia Tech residents are represented and know who they can work with. Overall, utilizing my time management and delegation skills, I would make sure that my RHA Executive Board position would be a large priority and that other conflicts be mitigated.

Director of Development

Please discuss any relevant prior experience and how it has prepared you for the position(s) you are
applying for.

I have had a lot of experience in the development and administrative roles within the Scouting program. My journey to becoming an Eagle Scout has helped me learn a tremendous amount of skills that heavily align with the skills needed in the RHA Executive Board. Skills such as planning, organization, communication, and teamwork are crucial to ensure that an RHA Executive Board member carries out their position smoothly, and I have been building and fine-tuning those skills for many years. Not only that, but as a member of Scouting’s national honor society, I have been frequently exposed to leading an organization of over 300 members. After serving as the Chief of the organization, I have taken a role where I advise and work with others to help them develop their leadership capabilities. Over the past year, I have mainly been working with the current Chief along with the Vice Chief of Administration. Membership retention and engagement have always been a top priority while I was Chief and while working with the new Chief. We constantly focused on how we could improve our organization to make it the best for all of the members, along with how we could involve each member. Additionally, we expanded our organization’s efforts to serve more people in the community by increasing the amount of service we do for the Cub Scouting program. As the Chief, I also had to work with my Vice Chiefs and different members/committees which is extremely similar to an RHA Executive Board Position. The position of Chief has given me invaluable skills of planning, delegation, organization, and teamwork. I strongly believe that my time as Chief has prepared me for any future leadership positions, including a role on the RHA Executive Board. As well as that, when working with the Vice Chief of Administration, many administrative tasks were completed. I assisted the VC Admin in maintaining a website, expanding our social media presence, working on newsletters, filming promotional videos, and maintaining organizational documents. Through this, I was able to greatly learn and improve my administrative skillset. This prior experience directly relates to the role of Director of Administration as I would be directly responsible for maintaining the RHA website, organizational documents, and other critical organizational infrastructures. Finally, my other extracurricular activities have also prepared me with the skills necessary to be an RHA Executive Board member. Throughout middle and high school I was a team captain for a cybersecurity-focused club, which helped me develop a passion for technology along with teamwork and leadership under pressure ability. As well as that, being on the Georgia Tech Airsoft club has taught me more about quick decision-making more than anything else, as decisions must be made in a matter of seconds while carefully weighing all options. Overall, my positions in the Scouting program and numerous extracurricular groups have adequately equipped me with the necessary skills to be an RHA Executive Board member. The opportunity to serve on the RHA Executive Board would provide me an avenue to demonstrate these skills in a unique manner that would diversify my experience.

Please discuss your interest in the specific position(s) you are applying for.

I am extremely interested in the role of Director of Development for numerous reasons. Focusing on the development of individuals and organizations that aim to assist individuals is a passion of mine. Being elected to the position of Director of Development would allow me to work for those who see the benefits of RHA, and allow me to assist RHA in being able to benefit more residents. I have a strong passion for mentoring and serving as a resource for others, and the Director of Development truly represents this. Over the past semester, I have seen the numerous ways that RHA allows residents and students here at Georgia Tech to bond and build a stronger community. Serving as the Director of Development would allow me to have the ability to strengthen the development of community that RHA strives for. Additionally, as the Director of Development, I would be able to focus on how to engage more residents within RHA to cultivate a much larger presence.

What do you plan to bring to the position(s) and organization at large?

As an RHA Executive Board member, I plan to bring many traits and qualities to the position and organization at large. Above all, I want to bring a friendly reputation where anyone is comfortable coming to me with their concerns. As well as that, I want to bring a commitment to the development and growth of RHA, a desire to learn, the ability to plan organization-wide events, and the ability to cultivate meaningful friendships. First, I want to bring a commitment to the development and growth of RHA. RHA is an incredible organization that is open to all residents on campus and allows them to create a community that they desire. By bringing a commitment to the dedication and growth of RHA, I am able to provide residents with the necessary information and ability to assist in hosting events for them. Focusing on resident engagement is a great way to grow and develop RHA, and that begins with giving residents a sense of purpose and belonging. Secondly, I have a strong desire to learn. Every leadership position I have taken has allowed me to use and fine tine many different qualities and leadership traits. However, every position has always taught me something new. Whether this be a new technique to accomplish a task, a new way to interact with others, or a new leadership quality, I have always enjoyed learning from those I lead. As an RHA Executive Board member, I am extremely confident in being able to learn a lot from my fellow board members and the residents I serve. Additionally, I offer a lot of experience of planning and successfully executing organization-wide events. Through my time in the Scouting program, I have worked with many different teams to successfully plan and execute events with over 800 participants. Being able to develop this skill was not easy, but I have successfully been able to fine-tune it through a multitude of events. This skill is crucial to my role as an RHA Executive Board member as I would be planning events of different scales, planning trainings, and planning many other activities throughout my term. Lastly, I am able to easily cultivate meaningful friendships. The whole point of RHA is to build a strong community of residents within Georgia Tech, and friendliness is the first step. Becoming friends with someone and then positively interacting with that person can go a long way in life. Those interactions could benefit a person in many different ways. I am outgoing and easily able to interact with others to cultivate friendships and community. I believe this speaks to the exact meaning of being an RHA Executive Board member. In conclusion, as an RHA Executive Board member, I would offer a commitment to the development and growth of RHA, a desire to learn from those I serve, the ability to plan organization-wide events, and the ability to cultivate meaningful friendships. I believe all of the aforementioned abilities/traits would contribute to RHA in a positive way that will leave a lasting impact during and after my term.

If you could improve any one thing about RHA—related to your position(s) of interest or not—what
would it be and why?

One thing I could improve about RHA is making residents aware of all the different opportunities within RHA. Getting involved within RHA has been a great opportunity for me to become engaged with other residents and create new friendships along the way. As a first-year student, this opportunity is really good for assisting with the transition to college life. I found out about Hall Council and was immediately drawn to the opportunity of being able to serve my fellow residents while improving residence life. Additionally, getting involved within RHA allows residents to build a better community and work with and for each other to make their community what they want. My opportunities within Hall Council have allowed me to show residents that we truly have the power and ability to create a friendly, unique, and diverse community. Great communities like these tremendously improve the well-being of students, which contributes to their success while at college. Developing communities within Georgia Tech is a perfect way for students to have a sense of belonging while in college. Overall, with more residents engaging and becoming involved within RHA, a better community and life-long friendships can be created.

If your answer to the previous question is something that can be fixed, how might that be done? If it’s
something that can’t be changed, what can we do to adjust?

Improving the engagement of residents within RHA could be done in a multitude of ways. Coming from Hall Council myself, I believe this a great way for residents to get involved, and most of the time they are unaware of this opportunity. Promoting Hall Councils provides residents with an easy way to get involved within RHA. If residents want to get involved on a smaller level, then Hall Council is the perfect opportunity for them, while residents who want to get involved on a larger scale can get involved with the events and operations of the Legislative Council. Becoming involved through Hall Council and Legislative Council is a great way for residents to begin getting involved within RHA. Captivating resident interest would also be another way to gather involvement within RHA. Finding ways to host campus-wide events based on what residents want is a perfect way to get residents involved. These events would show them that RHA is truly about serving other residents and what the residents want. Furthermore, RHA does not have to solely focus on residence life, but it can also focus on the wellbeing of Georgia Tech students. Holding wellness events to promote the 8 dimensions of wellness in fun and engaging events would also show residents the plethora of ways to become engaged within RHA. As an RHA Executive Board member, I could implement the above-mentioned events to garner more resident engagement. By working with fellow Executive Board members, the Legislative Council, and the Hall Councils, we could incorporate these events in and see resident engagement at an all-time high. Not only that, but working with a team, we could find many other ways that would encourage residents to become involved. Overall, residents can become involved within RHA in a myriad of ways. First of all, residents can join their Hall Councils to participate in a smaller environment, and then move to working with the Legislative Council if they desire to engage on a larger scale. Secondly, hosting events that are curated by the desires of residents is another way to show residents that RHA is a truly resident-focused organization that wants to focus on students here at Georgia Tech. Additionally, wellness events could be incorporated that way residents are encouraged to live a lifestyle that they are comfortable with and that assists them with their success during college.

Education: Neuroscience Major

Leadership Track Status: Has Not Started

State your motivation for joining the RHA Executive Board.

Over the past year as Director of Administration (DOA), I have had the privilege of managing RHA’s IT infrastructure and helping foster a more accessible and engaging residential community. I’ve always been passionate about technology and organization, and this role has allowed me to put those skills to use, including improving the bill submission system, updating the website, and making sure the office stays organized and efficient. I want to continue these efforts while bringing innovative solutions to enhance RHA’s administrative processes, making them more accessible and effective. Moreover, being in RHA has allowed me to engage with residents and better understand their needs. By running for this position again, I want to build on my achievements this year by ensuring continuing administrative efficiency and helping to improve residential experience.

Please discuss any obligations (work, extracurricular, and otherwise) that you anticipate having external to RHA during the duration of your intended term and how you plan to balance/prioritize your commitments.

In addition to RHA, I am actively involved in Hearts & Healing Fund as Co-Vice President, where I coordinate fundraisers to support underserved communities. I also have academic commitments, including working as a student assistant for neuroscience research. However, I have effectively managed these responsibilities alongside RHA this past year and will continue prioritizing my role by maintaining strong time management skills. I keep an updated outlook calendar to track all deadlines and events to make sure RHA remains a top priority while allocating sufficient time for my other commitments. My experience balancing multiple leadership roles has taught me to work efficiently, allowing me to fully commit to the responsibilities of DOA.

Director of Administration

Please discuss any relevant prior experience and how it has prepared you for the position(s) you are
applying for.

I have been actively involved in leadership and community-building efforts since my freshman year, gaining experience that has shaped my ability to manage administrative and technical responsibilities effectively. During my first year, I served as Junior Outreach Chair for the Asian American Student Association and was a Fundraising Committee member for the Vietnamese Student Association. In these roles, I helped organize large-scale events such as AASA’s Tour of Asia, which celebrated diverse cultures through performances, food, and activities. Furthermore, as Co-Vice President of Hearts and Healing Fund, I worked with other board members in monthly fundraising efforts, raising nearly $1,000 for clinics in Kurar, India, providing free blood test and ECG to people in underserved areas. These leadership roles have reinforced my ability to organize and teamwork skills, which translate directly into the DOA role. Currently, I serve as the Director of Administration for RHA, where I manage the organization’s IT systems, digital records, and internal processes. One of my major accomplishments this year was refining the legislative and hall council bill system. I redesigned the Automation for Bill submission and contact information so that each bill is organized into their structured submission ID, instead of random integers as it was before. This made sure the automated system in Power Automate goes through a smoother and more efficient bill processing. Another key project was updating and embedding an interactive calendar on the RHA website. This has made it easier for residents to access event schedules and office hours, increasing engagement and transparency within the organization. Additionally, I improved the visual organization of the RHA office, including updating the bulletin board to provide clear information about executive members and fostering a more welcoming environment. Beyond administrative tasks, I have been actively involved in community engagement. Over the summer, I organized office-hour events like Donut Days to connect with residents and introduce them to RHA’s mission. I also contributed to campus wide events throughout the semester, including the Summer Cookout, Week of Welcome, Movie Night, Field Day, and Fall Festival, working alongside fellow executive members to foster community bonding for students. These experiences have strengthened my ability to coordinate logistics and engage with residents as a visible member of RHA. My combined experiences in RHA and other student organizations have prepared me to continue excelling in this position. If re-elected, I am committed to further refining RHA’s administrative systems and contributing to a more connected and engaged residential community.

Please discuss your interest in the specific position(s) you are applying for.

As the current DOA, I have developed a deep understanding of this role’s responsibilities and challenges. I genuinely enjoy working behind the scenes to ensure that RHA runs smoothly, whether that means troubleshooting IT issues or improving our technological infrastructure such as our website and Sharepoint. My passion for organization and problem-solving drives me to refine and expand RHA’s internal processes, making them more intuitive and effective for both executive board members and residents. This year has also reinforced to me the importance of efficiently managing technical operations. Many of the improvements I’ve implemented, such as the updated bill submission system and website updates, are long-term solutions that require ongoing refinement. By continuing in this role, I can ensure that these initiatives are not only maintained but further developed, allowing RHA to operate at its full potential. A seamless transition would benefit not only the executive board but also the residents we serve, ensuring that RHA stays accessible and efficient.

What do you plan to bring to the position(s) and organization at large?

If re-elected as DOA, I plan to introduce further technological improvements to RHA’s operations. I intend to refine the bill submission process further, reducing potential delays and making the system even more efficient with less errors. In addition, I want to strengthen engagement with residents by expanding the resources available on the RHA website. This can include a dedicated FAQ section to answer common questions about RHA’s resource room or events, or adding a page for residents to provide feedback or voice concerns directly through the website. Additionally, I would like to introduce more interactive digital tools, such as automated reminders for Hall Council events to residents to support Hall Council officers in organizing successful programs. These improvements will help Hall Councils operate more effectively and help residents to take a more active role in building their hall council communities. Outside of IT systems, I want to help develop a strong sense of community within the RHA executive team and the residents. This year, I have worked to make RHA more approachable by maintaining a welcoming office environment by keeping the bulletin board updated and organizing office-hour events like Donut Days, where I had the opportunity to talk to students about RHA and its initiatives. I plan to expand these RHA office events, hosting more events that encourage resident interaction with the RHA board. Additionally, I will continue collaborating with my fellow executive members to organize programs that target residents’ needs and interests. Throughout my term, I have demonstrated the ability to problem solve and manage IT systems effectively and also make greater visibility of RHA offices to residents. I am passionate about making RHA more organized and accessible to both executive members and residents. With my experience and dedication, I am eager to continue improving RHA’s infrastructure and fostering a stronger residential community at Georgia Tech.

If you could improve any one thing about RHA—related to your position(s) of interest or not—what
would it be and why?

One area for improvement is enhancing the efficiency of RHA’s internal communication and task management. While we use multiple platforms including Teams and Sharepoint to coordinate events and responsibilities, having a more integrated system for tracking ongoing event planning and administrative tasks would make collaboration smoother and more transparent. At times, it has been challenging to keep up with the various events happening across RHA and ensure that responsibilities are updated beyond our weekly executive meetings. Implementing a more efficient task management system would help improve these processes by keeping everyone informed and improving overall workflow.

If your answer to the previous question is something that can be fixed, how might that be done? If it’s
something that can’t be changed, what can we do to adjust?

To address this issue, I propose introducing a more structured task management system, such as Microsoft Planner, to keep track of ongoing RHA projects and set clear deadlines. With multiple events and responsibilities happening simultaneously, this would help that everyone on the executive board stays informed on ongoing tasks beyond our weekly executive meeting. This would help make our workflow more efficient and also help distribute responsibilities. This improvement would also make a big difference for Hall Council officers and residents, especially during our biweekly Legislative Council meetings. With a more structured system, Hall Councils would have a clearer understanding of RHA board’s initiatives, making it easier for them to coordinate their own bills and proposals. Residents attending the LC meetings would also experience a more transparent and organized approach to event planning and discussing bills, making the legislative process more accessible and efficient. Strengthening communication and organization in this way would help RHA better serve the residential community and create a smoother experience for everyone involved.

Education: Mechanical Engineering Major

Leadership Track Status: Has Not Started

State your motivation for joining the RHA Executive Board.

I have served as the DOF on the executive board for the past year which has been an incredible personal and professional experience. I value the personal relationships I made throughout my time, as well as the impact I was able to make on events throughout campus. From financially advising other officers to expressing opinions on decisions, I have loved my time on the board and hope for another great year!

Please discuss any obligations (work, extracurricular, and otherwise) that you anticipate having external to RHA during the duration of your intended term and how you plan to balance/prioritize your commitments.

On the Executive Board, we prioritize our health, family, and school above everything else. Immediately after that, however, we are expected to focus on RHA, including holding office hours, attending meetings and events, and taking care of any positional tasks which come up. Aside from these four commitments, the only other extracurricular obligation I have is to band. While it is a major time commitment, I have had a year of experience balancing the two activities. I do this through prioritizing which is more important to attend, ensuring proper communication throughout the process with the rest of the executive board. This semester, I am regrettably unable to attend most LCs due to an unavoidable class conflict. However, even in this scenario, I am making sure to account for my absence by continuing to communicate with the board and keeping them and the LC updated to ensure my role is not completely missed, which I will continue to do for all future conflicts that arise.

Director of Administration

Please discuss any relevant prior experience and how it has prepared you for the position(s) you are
applying for.

Over the past year, I have served as the Director of Finance on the Executive Board. In this position, I have become familiar with the internal processes and infrastructure of the RHA, including understanding RHA’s financial and procedural policy, navigating through files in SharePoint, working with PowerAutomate, and creating, editing, and distributing Excel files. Throughout my time as the DOF, I have also expressed my opinions to the Executive Board, voted in pertinent matters, advised the board and LC in financial matters, helped plan and run events, and more, providing me with a year’s worth of experience in a position directly adjacent to the Director of Administration. One of my specific focuses as the DOA will be governing amendments in the Constitution and Policy Book to help accomplishments as the DOF was proposing an amendment to the constitution which revised the existing “LC Delinquency Tax,” a convoluted and ineffective policy which penalized Hall Councils who failed to attend LC. My amendment (Policy Book, Title IV, Article IV) greatly simplified the process, stipulated communication before penalization, and allowed discretionary enforcement for a more effective financial policy. This process helped me understand what should go into a constitutional amendment, upholding the integrity of RHA, and prepared me for future amendments that I hope to propose outside the scope of financial policy. One of my key responsibilities as the Director of Finance has been to communicate effectively with the rest of the Executive Board, ensuring they acted with accurate financial information. Throughout last semester, I worked especially closely with the Director of Programming to allocate funds to each of the events she wanted to see, including increasing the budget through the LC. While I wouldn’t be communicating the same information as the DOA, my experience communicating information to the Board as a whole, as well as individuals within it, will assist me when handling requests and communicating changes to the Board and LC. Another responsibility of the DOF in the past has been to create and update Hall Council budget trackers at the beginning of each year. While I made some major updates to most of the trackers at the beginning of this year, I am looking forward to using Power Automate to improve and standardize them, lightening the load for future incoming DOFs. The main improvement I plan to make is to consolidate the bill and budget trackers, as they are somewhat redundant and have led to confusion regarding the procedure for bills. Additionally, I plan on creating a flow which tracks all funds spent across all Hall Councils to help the DOF understand the spending habits of Hall Councils. Although many of my immediate ideas for infrastructural improvements focus on the DOF and their tools, I will be prepared to assist any other Executive Board member with anything they request. Another project that I will focus on as the DOA will be working with the Academic Advisor of the Board to update the role of the DOF in the Executive Board. In the past, their main focus has been on processing EAFs. However, this year’s focus on P-Card purchases over EAFs, the DOF’s role has been sizably reduced. Due to my experience as a DOF, I will be in a unique position to work with our advisor to redefine the key focuses of the position going forward and ensure future DOFs meet the full potential of the role. Beyond the pertinent experience I gained as the DOF, I also have the technical skills to achieve what I am hoping to do. Last summer, alongside my duties as a DOF in summer residence, I had an engineering internship at a local firm. Though it was a civil engineering firm and I am a mechanical engineering major, most of the work I did was coding of some kind. In one task, I wrote an excel macro which automated the majority of one of the finance employee’s job. In another project, I used Power Automate to create a set of file and folder links which organized invoices by their stage of completion. In yet another project, I used python to combine files from two remote servers into the local system. I am a very fast learner, and as the language used to code the website is the only one I am unfamiliar with, I expect to be able to make updates in a timely manner to ensure quick turnaround of projects and requests. Overall, my tenure as the Director of Finance has laid the foundation for me to excel as the next Director of Administration. The practical and technical experience I have earned throughout the last year will allow me to smoothly transition into this role, hitting the ground running after turnover by implementing the changes I have wanted to see throughout my time as the DOF. The summer will provide me with a great opportunity to transform the financial infrastructure of the RHA, and leave me able to focus on teamwork and requests once the school year starts. There is so much I have planned, so I hope I get the opportunity to implement it as the next DOA!

Please discuss your interest in the specific position(s) you are applying for.

Throughout my time as the Director of Finance, I have used the existing infrastructure of the RHA extensively. However, over time, I have noticed inefficiencies, inconsistencies, and opportunities for improvement throughout. While I have made many updates to tools within my position’s capacity, such as the Executive and HCO budget trackers, I will have a much greater capacity to update tools as the Director of Administration with access to Power Automate. Aside from infrastructural improvements, I have a particular interest in writing and updating policy. As the DOF, I introduced an amendment which updated a financial policy. However, as the DOA, I would also have a greater capacity to propose amendments outside the scope of finances and make noticeable changes within the RHA.

What do you plan to bring to the position(s) and organization at large?

In assuming the role of Director of Administration, I hope to continue the services I have provided to the RHA Executive Board for the past year. As a returning member, I will carry over valuable insight and experience into a new Executive Board and help provide a seamless transition into a new administration. After a year on the Board, I am invested in the overall success and longevity of the RHA, and I hope to leave an indelible mark on the organization. I will continue to spend time and effort to achieve all of my personal and the Board’s organizational goals to the best of my ability. In addition to acting as an effective DOA, I also hope to simply be an outstanding Board member by promoting and running events, fostering relationships with Hall Council Officers, attending all meetings, staying up to date on office hours and deliverables, and all of the other small tasks I have picked up on in the last year. The RHA has become a major part of my life at Georgia Tech and I hope to remain an asset largely through maintaining my current practices, but also focusing on key improvements as I transition into a new role.

If you could improve any one thing about RHA—related to your position(s) of interest or not—what
would it be and why?

If I had to choose only one aspect of RHA, I would work to improve the flow of LC meetings to make them more efficient. I firmly believe that all LC business, from getting food to dismissal, should never take more than an hour. However, due to strictly following established procedure, it often runs far longer than it should – i.e. simply getting food taking nearly half an hour – and I find myself losing interest, even as an Executive Board member. I find it hard to engage in a meeting that feels inefficient, and when I was an HCO, I rarely attended LC because it felt so tedious. While LC attendance is necessary, I want it to be worthwhile to all attendees, and I hope to work with the next DOD to make progress in this area in the coming administration.

If your answer to the previous question is something that can be fixed, how might that be done? If it’s
something that can’t be changed, what can we do to adjust?

Throughout last semester, I recorded thoughts and inefficiencies I noticed in LCs. One of the main time losses I noticed was simply getting food, as preparing the food for serving wouldn’t even start until the LC started and most HCOs were already there, and serving the food would take over ten minutes meaning half the LC was already done eating before the other half even started. All in all, it led to LC business regularly being pushed back by over 20 minutes. I think this could all be improved by simply having the food already set up before the LC begins so that HCOs can self-serve as soon as they arrive. This would allow business to start almost immediately after the LC officially starts and save a significant amount of time. Another major time sink is in the strict adherence to parliamentary procedure. I have noticed that most bills are passed unanimously, yet explaining, questioning, and discussing the bill often takes between 5 and 15 minutes each. Currently, the only way to waive Robert’s Rules at an LC is in a clause-by-clause basis passed by ¾ of the LC, which is little known and never used. To simplify this, I plan to propose an amendment to the Constitution which allows the Executive President (or other presiding member of the LC) to simply announce that they are waiving Robert’s Rules for a certain bill and, barring dissent, will allow them to more informally move the bill along. This would allow the presiding member to speed up proceedings when they (reasonably) believe the bill will pass or fail unanimously or close to it, and hopefully keep LC members alert for bills or business which warrant a full discussion, all while ensuring the LC can override it easily if they don’t agree. Finally, though it isn’t nearly as time intensive as the other two, I always find role call to be dull as each Hall Council must manually be counted to determine their voting representation. I think this could be automated with a QR code which HCOs scan and enter their GTID and Hall Council. These would be used to determine the number of unique members of each Hall Council and record the LC’s attendance (as well as their voting representation to ensure quorum. Similarly, voting could also move online for a more modernized process. Hall Councils would still have their placards as well in case of technical difficulty and discussion, ensuring no harm is done by implementing electronic attendance and voting. These changes would allow for alternative methods of voting and effectively give the presiding member more power to run LCs smoothly, allowing them to balance formality and efficiency and ensure LCs feel more worthwhile. Even if I am not voted as the next DOA, I hope some of these changes will be implemented for future LCs.

Education: Biomedical Engineering Major | Computing & Intelligence Minor

Leadership Track Status: Has Not Started

State your motivation for joining the RHA Executive Board.

I am very passionate about Georgia Tech’s Residence Hall Association since my involvement in the North Avenue Hall Council as well as Committees. My motivation to join the RHA Executive Board is to organize all aspects of the organizations’ records and keep everything up to date in order to allow residents to easily keep track of the activities planned by the organization. I would also like to foster community amongst residents and help improve quality of life for residents by increasing their connection to the Executive Board. I believe as Director of Administration I would be able to accomplish these goals.

Please discuss any obligations (work, extracurricular, and otherwise) that you anticipate having external to RHA during the duration of your intended term and how you plan to balance/prioritize your commitments.

During my intended term I will be taking 15 credit hours and then 16 credit hours of courses which is fairly similar to what I am used to taking each semester. I would prepare as much as possible for RHA before the year started to ensure everything was done well and completely. DOA is a role in which many preparations can be made before the year begins to allow for a more balanced term once my classes start. I plan to be involved in my current research lab, potentially with a PURA award for my work. My time spent doing research is primarily during the work day in between my classes, with a flexible schedule. I am in the Society of Women Engineers, Women in Engineering, Biomedical Engineering Society, and Bioinformatics Club, but I am not a leader so I only attend when I am available. I am a very organized person who prioritizes planning out my time and ensuring that I stay on top of all of my responsibilities, which would enable me to be an effective member of the Executive Board. Overall, I have made my priority my classes and the potential to be DOA next year by not taking on many additional commitments.

Director of Administration

Please discuss any relevant prior experience and how it has prepared you for the position(s) you are
applying for.

Fall semester of this year I was on the North Avenue Hall Council. I was the Financial Coordinator and I was also a part of the Financial Oversight and Programming Committees. I attended the South Atlantic Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls conference (SAACURH) to further my leadership understanding. I was able to learn from RHA members across the entire southeast about how they were fostering relationships in their own universities. This conference also allowed me to get to know the advisor and two members of the executive board better. Through my involvement last Fall, I have fallen in love with working alongside residents, aiding in making their experience on campus the best it can be, and growing the community across campus for residents. I began serving as Interim Director of Programming at the end of November 2024. Since my selection as Interim, I began attending meetings with the RHA Executive Board, the RHA Exec Board Advisor, as well as running the programming committee meetings. I attended the Spring Retreat and shared my event plans for the Spring semester. I spent a good amount of time on my Christmas break preparing this event plan so I could express my ideas clearly and well. I also began budgeting before the Spring semester so I would start ahead of the game. Now that I am officially elected as Director of Programming, I have fully planned, budgeted, and prepared for two events. I have ordered catering and communicated with other organizations about events. My general events planned for the Spring are: Board Game Bash, Drag Show, Bouquet Making, and Around the World (cultural end of year celebration). I have also begun instilling biweekly events during my office hours where residents can come by and get free coffee, bagels, biscuits, etc and discuss wellness/questions/comments they have with me. I am continuing to use the programming committee this semester and recruited one new member as well. I have been learning about being in charge of the resource room by using Booqable and plan to meet with Farhan as needed to discuss resource room details. Through my involvement with RHA this past year I have prepared myself for the RHA executive board. My Director of Programming role in particular has shown me what working on the Board looks like on a day-to-day basis as well as my responsibilities. I have also been able to see what the Director of Administration does firsthand via meetings and discussions with the current acting DOA. Some of the roles for DOA transfer over from DOP preparing me even more for this role. I believe I can do a good job as the DOA because I am extremely organized and plan out every aspect of my schedule, which has enabled me to be a strong DOP this semester. Organization is extremely important for someone in the DOA position since they are in charge of the organization of all executive board files, meeting agendas, and the organization’s website. My experience in Computer Science, as I am minoring in it, would enable me to do the IT infrastructure work. I would be able to keep Engage up to date because I am an extremely timely person and don’t procrastinate tasks. I would set up a majority of the RHA office before the school year started so it would be easier to stay on top of smaller things once the year started. I will be giving a Bronze Pin of Recognition this year so giving one out next year won’t be an issue as I am always making an effort to build relationships with Hall Council Officers. I will stay on top of the office hours calendar on our website and ensure this information stays up to date. I will allow for access to email and other tehchnologies as needed making sure this is set up before the year starts. Maintaining an inventory of office supplies will primarily occur before the year but each week in office hours/executive board meetings I will track how many supplies we have and get more as needed. I will ensure that I record meeting minutes as needed after or in place of the Director of Communication. Based on the requirements for the Director of Administration listed above, I believe I am prepared to fulfill each and every one, while understanding what the Executive Board as a whole requires based on my Director of Programming position.

Please discuss your interest in the specific position(s) you are applying for.

I am interested in this position because I believe I can set up and manage a strong system for bills, RHA’s website, and the office’s bulletin board, ensuring these things stay organized and easy-to-use, specifically guiding future DOA’s. Thinking about the future of RHA is important when planning out how we want to lead in our roles because when we set a strong foundation it allows for a more successful organization in the future. In this role I would foster community amongst residents and build the executive board website and presence so people know about the Board and recognize RHA’s involvement on campus. I would like to improve overall planning and organization in RHA for the future. I believe if I do my best work next year it will allow the future Directors of Administration to keep up a strong presence on campus. I am a very organized person and I’ve been learning how to create a system through my preparation for events this semester, which I would turn into a system for organization of all records and files, then eventually pass on to the next DOA, creating a well-refined, ordered system for the future.

What do you plan to bring to the position(s) and organization at large?

I plan to bring my organized, enthusiastic, and kind being to this position and the organization. I believe these qualities would set me up well for this role because it requires someone who can organize all aspects of the executive board while also having effective communication skills. I think my plan for the year would help the residents to be more engaged and involved with RHA. I plan to fulfill my duties as outlined in the prior experience question while also going above and beyond by setting up a system that will allow for easier guidance for future Director of Adminstrators. I want to ensure that the bill system, the website, and the office are all set up in an intuitive way that will be easy to pass on to the next Director of Administration as well as explain the reasoning behind. Organization is a key ingredient to a successful organization and I hope to be elected so I can spend my year on the Board as either Director of Adminstration or Director of Finance, aiding in a more organized environment that helps future Board members do their job better. I believe I have already begun bringing this to the Board this semester as Director of Programming, working to nail down an easy-to-follow guide for future DOP’s when planning events and organizing their committee. I am attempting to spread RHA’s reach on campus with large events as well as small office hour events. I have expanded the committee to include an RA so he can tell all his residents and community about events occurring in RHA. I am an organized, driven, hard-working individual and I work at the things I care about. I care about RHA as an organization and specifically the community it can provide, which I would like to facilitate and grow in whatever way possible, which is why I am so passionate about making this happen next year if I were elected to the Board. As Director of Adminsitration, I think a lot can be done in this area because expanding reach is sometimes all about current systems and their connectivity to campus, specifically the website. Increasing the amount of residents who reach our website will also lead to more awareness about the organization, aiding in RHA’s spread across campus. This will allow residents to attend more events, come to lunch and learn’s, show up to office hours, and ask questions about hall council and executive board. This would enable a strong community to be built between residents and our organization. The organization at large would be more organized after I complete and execute my system, the website and office will have spread RHA’s reach across campus, and residents will have enjoyed their increased involvement. I would foster a community amongst residents and RHA members allowing for a more successful organization as a whole.

If you could improve any one thing about RHA—related to your position(s) of interest or not—what
would it be and why?

One thing I would improve about RHA would be its advertisement and reach on campus. 45% of students at Georgia Tech live on campus (around 9000 people) and they should all know what RHA is, what we do (specifically the executive board and hall councils), and our connection to residence halls, hall directors, NRHH, and RA’s. I would like every resident to at least know of what we do and our mission, which I think would also lead to better knowledge about RHA events and increase overall attendance. Many residents do not know what RHA, specifically the hall councils and executive board, is or what we do. This is a serious issue because we want our organization to reach every resident on campus in some capacity per our mission. RHA’s website is a strong start to this goal but it needs to be more strongly connected to the general Housing and Residence Life website. They are connected but making it more obvious so individuals looking for information on RA, for example, will also learn about hall councils and RHA executive board.

If your answer to the previous question is something that can be fixed, how might that be done? If it’s
something that can’t be changed, what can we do to adjust?

I think there are things we can adjust and do to try to resolve this issue, or at least make it less prevalent. A lot of residents are generally very interested in becoming an RA and/or attending RA events and there is much better knowledge surrounding this aspect of housing. I believe the Lunch and Learn revolving around RA Interview Tips is a step in the right direction but I think we can even reach outside of Hall Councils too. Our RA Liason is our connection to RA’s and everything they do. An idea I had would be to let them know we are trying to spread RHA’s reach on campus. They can begin spreading this information to other RA’s (group chats, hall groups, friends, etc). Then our Liason can tell residents at the very first meeting of the year about us and what we do, ensuring they know who we are. We can use our Liason to communicate with other RA’s about events we have planned and they can send flyers/information to their residents. RA’s can encourage residents to attend Hall Council meetings, which would allow them to learn more about RHA. Residents can be made aware of RHA Hall Council and Executive Board as another way to be involved in RHA outside of becoming an RA. We can have RA’s mention to residents that we have an office in Matheson Hall and a resource room with items they can borrow if they’d like. Drawing attention to our office is a great way to extend our reach on campus. Hall directors could also help spread the word and we could partner with Hall Councils to share information about RHA at meetings to make sure our reach is spreading as much as possible. Our website can be more strongly connected to the Housing and Residence Life website, and we can also communicate with housing that we would like to increase awareness about RHA, asking what they could do to help. Enabling there to be a connection between RA employment information and RHA Hall Councils and Executive Board would also help our spread on campus. These are just some ideas I have to spread RHA’s presence on campus, which I believe would improve RHA’s effectiveness and ubiquity on campus.

Education: Civil Engineering Major | Architecture Minor | Global Engineering Leadership Minor

Leadership Track Status: Has Not Started

State your motivation for joining the RHA Executive Board.

I have always been passionate about hosting events and building community, which led me to create ‘The Trivia Show’ in my first semester at Tech. For its third annual run, I collaborated with the RHA LC to bring my vision to life. Throughout planning a highly successful show, I gained a deep appreciation for RHA and everyone involved. When I was then invited to be the NSL HC Meetings Coordinator and approached about applying for Executive Board, I immediately knew this was an opportunity to grow and make a lasting impact at Georgia Tech with a team of incredible people.

Please discuss any obligations (work, extracurricular, and otherwise) that you anticipate having external to RHA during the duration of your intended term and how you plan to balance/prioritize your commitments.

Beyond RHA, my three main commitments will be working as a Georgia Tech Tour Guide, serving as President of the Juggling Club, and acting as Vice President of Event Development for the Little Einsteins Organization. Throughout my time in college, I have balanced multiple roles by refining my time management skills and adopting a ‘get it done’ mentality, i.e. tackling tasks immediately when they are assigned. A more unique and tangible tool I use is my ‘super’ calendar, a custom 3×5 foot calendar with all 365 days on a single poster. It serves as a quick visual reference for my commitments, helping me see the bigger picture. This system allows me to stay on top of my commitments, ensuring that I allocate my time efficiently, and prioritize responsibilities without feeling too overwhelmed. Utilizing this tool and planning effectively, I am confident in my ability to manage my obligations while fully committing to RHA.

Director of Administration

Please discuss any relevant prior experience and how it has prepared you for the position(s) you are
applying for.

My campus involvement reflects a strong foundation in leadership, organization, and community engagement, all qualities necessary for the Director of Administration (DOA) position. Over various roles, I have personally grown and gained skills in managing logistics, maintaining records, and coordinating multiple large-scale operations, which align directly with the DOA responsibilities. In my role as the Meetings Coordinator for the Nelson-Shell Hall Council, I structure meetings, prepare agendas, and ensure smooth collaboration among the other officers. Most importantly I work towards providing an engaging and inclusive atmosphere for our meetings. Additionally, I encourage bill submissions, track documentation, maintain organized records, and facilitate communication with our residents by keeping them informed of upcoming events. These responsibilities are closely aligned with the DOA’s duties in managing RHA’s files, maintaining historical records, and keeping meeting minutes structured and accessible. As a Georgia Tech Tour Guide, I lead structured presentations clearly and effectively while adhering to timed schedules. This role has strengthened my ability to retain information, engage with diverse audiences, and manage logistics. In addition, my involvement with the Office of International Education (OIE) as a student ambassador has enhanced my ability to communicate effectively in a professional setting, as well as present and share information at recruitment events. These experiences have prepared me to handle policies, serve as an advisor to assigned ad hoc committees, and ensure effective communication within the organization and its members. Serving as President of the Juggling Club requires overseeing a group of 300+ members, coordinating multiple weekly meetings, teaching hundreds of students and faculty how to juggle every semester, and managing external partnerships for performances and outreach events. This responsibility not only builds my skills in scheduling and planning to ensure smooth operations, but, more importantly, develops my social skills as a leader and as a personable presenter and speaker. In my role as the Vice President of Event Development for the Little Einsteins Organization at Tech, I manage event planning, oversee volunteer coordination, and facilitate tracking over 400 volunteer hours per semester. These tasks require thorough documentation, system management through Engage and Slack, and strategic planning and advertisement with our Instagram. The skills needed for these tasks directly correlate to the skills needed to upkeep RHA’s digital and physical records, maintain IT systems, Engage, and SharePoint. One of the most notable experiences was my involvement with RHA’s Legislative and Hall Councils, where I collaborated with executive members and advisors to organize my large-scale event, The Trivia Show. I managed event logistics, worked directly with Tech’s dining services and event coordinators, familiarized myself with the Booqable system and the physical RHA office, and dealt with all the proper documentation of processes, budgeting, marketing, design, etc. This event required significant technical problem-solving skills, which are crucial for the DOA position. Among the countless issues I encountered working on The Trivia Show, I persevered and was able to devise a solution for each challenge. Thus, demonstrating key competencies for managing RHA’s IT infrastructure, planning, and digital platforms. By juggling (pun intended) all these different roles, I have developed proactive planning techniques and a variety of resources to keep schedules organized. With my experience in leadership, project management, and technical oversight, I am well-prepared and committed to serving in the DOA role and strive to contribute meaningfully to RHA’s mission.

Please discuss your interest in the specific position(s) you are applying for.

My interest in the Director of Administration role stems from my deep enthusiasm for RHA, and the alignment between the role’s responsibilities and my experiences. While planning The Trivia Show, I was fortunate to have collaborated with RHA leadership and managed the logistics with the RHA advisor, who later suggested I should investigate upcoming opportunities and potentially apply for a position within exec. Upon reviewing the various roles, the DOA position would be most applicable to my current involvements and competencies. As Meetings Coordinator for Nelson-Shell, I am already familiar with the structure of RHA and its operations within the community. Beyond just RHA, I track volunteer initiatives for Little Einsteins, organize spaces and equipment for Juggling Club, and facilitate the Engage platforms for both organizations. I actively participate in all these outreach activities along with being a Tech tour guide and student ambassador because of a love for the community and knowing my involvement is making a difference. I am eager to contribute to the RHA in the DOA role, and committed to utilizing my skills, bringing a positive attitude, and further serving our community.

What do you plan to bring to the position(s) and organization at large?

As Director of Administration, I will bring a structured and proactive approach to RHA, focusing on efficiency, organization, and engagement. My experience with campus leadership, event planning, and logistical coordination has contributed to my ability to manage records, maintain infrastructure, and build collaboration, all key aspects of the DOA role. One proposed plan for RHA is to implement a centralized, semester-long RHA calendar. Currently, there does not appear to be an accessible, up-to-date calendar that consolidates all of RHA’s meetings, events, and deadlines in one place. Ideally, if I search “Georgia Tech RHA calendar,” the first link should be a dynamic, regularly updated schedule containing everything from LC meetings to social events, making it easy for residents and RHA members to stay informed. As DOA, I will take full responsibility for maintaining this resource, updating it daily as needed, and ensuring that it serves as a reliable tool for the entire organization and the residents. I will maintain a clear structured organizational system within RHA. My experience with agendas, bill submissions, and officer collaboration can help create smooth Hall Council operations and a positive environment. Planning events such as The Trivia Show requires detailed coordination with RHA advisors, dining services, and event staff, which parallels the administrative oversight necessary for managing RHA’s files, IT infrastructure, and resources. Effective tracking systems developed in previous roles, such as managing Juggling Club’s inventory or organizing Little Einsteins’ volunteer records, can be utilized to improve how RHA stores and manages records, office supplies, and technology. This will create a well-maintained system for future members to build on. Beyond internal operations, I would like to make RHA’s resources more accessible and user-friendly. Whether it’s improving how we market or relay information, simplifying IT systems, or making the Engage more intuitive, my goal is to help members easily navigate and contribute to RHA. Creating welcoming environments is something I’ve prioritized in all my roles, like helping new Juggling Club members feel comfortable learning a new skill or inspiring elementary kids through Little Einsteins. I will bring the same mindset to RHA, ensuring our administrative tools support involvement rather than create barriers. Improving communication and transparency is another one of my top priorities. As a Tour Guide and OIE Ambassador, I am quite used to presenting complex information in an engaging and digestible way. I want to guarantee that members and residents clearly understand RHA policies, meeting outcomes, and event planning processes, making it easier to get involved and stay informed. The RHA website states, “Find A Problem? As the organization constantly evolves, some information may become outdated, and links may no longer work. If you spot any problems with the website, please contact the Director of Administration and it should be resolved shortly.” I will take this responsibility very seriously. I pride myself on being extremely timely with responses to emails, and most people who I have worked with will vouch for my ‘get it done’ mentality. I loathe seeing notification badges pile up, and I clear them as soon as possible to keep things running smoothly. That is not to say I just speed through the task at hand but rather prioritize my time management to make sure it is completed to the best of my ability as quickly as possible. This mindset directly correlates to how I will manage RHA’s website and IT systems. I will not let outdated links, missing information, or unresolved issues linger. If something needs fixing, I will handle it swiftly and ensure RHA’s online presence remains accurate and functional. Lastly, I plan to bring more than just enthusiasm to this role, I will bring a structured, forward-thinking approach focused on organization, accessibility, and engagement. By implementing a semester-long RHA calendar, maintaining timely and responsive IT support, and streamlining the internal systems, I will make RHA more available and efficient for both members and residents.

If you could improve any one thing about RHA—related to your position(s) of interest or not—what
would it be and why?

If I could improve one aspect of RHA, it would be to increase the accessibility and visibility of announcements and information. As someone who was very unfamiliar with many RHA processes before becoming involved, I have noticed that important information, such as meeting schedules, election processes, and event opportunities, was often hard to find. Even still, many of the updates I receive about RHA logistics are by word of mouth. For instance, when I first learned about the Legislative Council, it was only through inquiring about The Trivia Show. Similarly, I had no prior understanding or even knowledge on the executive roles within RHA. When I wanted to apply for a position, I struggled to find clear information on how to do so, thankfully I had the help of current members and the RHA advisor to guide me.

If your answer to the previous question is something that can be fixed, how might that be done? If it’s
something that can’t be changed, what can we do to adjust?

To enhance RHA’s visibility and communication, we need a more intentional approach to outreach and information sharing. Currently, many students are unaware of RHA’s meetings, events, or even its role on campus. When I shared my excitement about this role, I found myself having to explain what the role entails and why it is needed. I suggest incorporating in-person engagement, digital promotion, and further collaboration with existing networks to ensure that residents are informed and encouraged to get involved. One of the most effective ways to engage students is, in my opinion, through direct face-to-face interaction. As I table for Juggling Club at organizational fairs and events, RHA should also have a stronger presence at similar events. For being such a large organization on campus, our table should be memorable and engaging for students. Tabling at Ferst Center events, the Student Center, and residence halls would allow us to introduce RHA to students who may not be familiar with its purpose or opportunities. Additionally, we could incorporate more interactive elements, such as giveaways, games, or everybody’s favorite, free food, to encourage participation and increase visibility. These recruitment efforts should also be more intentional. For The Trivia Show, I hung posters, reached out to Hall Councils, contacted RA’s, and created an Instagram, @thetriviashow, to promote the event. While this approach was effective for my event, a more structured system with RHA might make recruitment and awareness significantly easier. Another key area for visibility is RHA’s presence on Engage. Little Einsteins regularly posts on Engage, and we see significantly better turnout because of it. It is also beneficial to continue highlighting free food events, as students actively seek those out. Maintaining clear, well-organized event listings should encourage greater attendance. In addition to Engage, RHA should also implement a semester-long calendar, an idea I would plan to implement as Director of Administration. Students should be able to quickly find an updated schedule of meetings, events, and deadlines. Having this resource available will allow people interested in getting involved to have an easy way to stay informed. An additional valuable resource is the connection to Tour Guides. As a Tour Guide, I recognize that we play a major role in shaping incoming students’ first impressions of campus. By incorporating information about RHA into Tour Guide training materials or mentioning it during our tours, we could introduce students to RHA even before they move in. If students arrive at Georgia Tech already informed about RHA, they are more likely to engage with it from the start.

Education: Neuroscience Major

Leadership Track Status: Has Not Started

State your motivation for joining the RHA Executive Board.

Through RHA, I want to continue fostering a strong, connected community within Georgia Tech’s residence halls. Serving as Director of Communication this past year allowed me to directly impact residents by increasing engagement through various communication strategies. Organizing and running summer final study sessions, ensuring that all RHA events were well-promoted through housing newsletter and Instagram, being in charge of national and regional conference coordinations, and running an RHA Instagram giveaway to increase outreach all taught me how to better collaborate and communicate. By returning to RHA, I aim to expand our communication reach, enhance engagement, and introduce new initiatives such as an RHA monthly newsletter and a ‘Hall Council of the Month’ award to further provide a sense of belonging among residents.

Please discuss any obligations (work, extracurricular, and otherwise) that you anticipate having external to RHA during the duration of your intended term and how you plan to balance/prioritize your commitments.

Outside of RHA, I anticipate external commitments such as part-time tutoring and research. I have been involved in research at the Comparative Neuromechanics Lab, dedicating 3 to 6 hours weekly, and I also tutor students in various subjects. My past experiences throughout high school and at Tech, balancing multiple leadership roles alongside a demanding academic schedule and extracurriculars, have given me effective time management skills. This past year, I successfully managed my responsibilities as Director of Communication while staying on top of my academic and extracurricular commitments. I prioritize tasks by organizing my schedule weekly, setting clear deadlines, and allocating time strategically. With my previous experiences, I am confident in my ability to commit to my responsibilities for RHA .

Director of Communication

Please discuss any relevant prior experience and how it has prepared you for the position(s) you are
applying for.

Serving as Director of Communication this past year has provided me with invaluable experience in promoting RHA events, engaging residents, and ensuring clear communication within the organization. I was responsible for designing and managing all RHA event flyers and Instagram promotions, coordinating with housing to include RHA events in their monthly newsletter, planning for national and regional conferences, and organizing successful initiatives such as summer final study sessions and an Instagram giveaway with newly designed RHA sweatshirts. These experiences have refined my ability to develop creative marketing strategies, communicate effectively, and foster resident engagement. Beyond RHA, my leadership and communication experiences further prepare me for this role. As the co-founder and President of the Hearts and Crafts Club in high school, I oversaw event planning, marketing, and fundraising initiatives, successfully raising almost $1000 for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and donating 500 handmade stuffed animals to children’s hospitals. As Vice President of the Korean American Student Association, I expanded membership from 60 to 150 students through social media outreach and event promotions. At Georgia Tech, I have continued to improve these skills by working as Fundraising Director for the Vietnamese Student Association, Junior Education Chair for the Asian American Student Association, and co-President of Hearts & Healing Fund. These experiences have strengthened my ability to develop and execute effective communication strategies, making me well-equipped to continue serving as Director of Communication. Moving forward, I am excited to introduce new initiatives such as a monthly RHA newsletter and a ‘Hall Council of the Month’ award to further recognize and engage our residence hall communities.

Please discuss your interest in the specific position(s) you are applying for.

I am passionate about the role of Director of Communication because it allows me to directly impact student engagement and foster a sense of belonging within our residence halls. Having served in this role for the past year, I have seen firsthand how effective communication can enhance resident participation and community building. My experience designing event flyers, managing social media outreach, and coordinating promotions have given me ith the skills necessary to further develop RHA’s communication strategies. Next year, I am especially excited about launching an RHA monthly newsletter and implementing a ‘Hall Council of the Month’ recognition program, as I believe these initiatives will further strengthen community involvement. I look forward to continuing my work in this role and further elevating RHA’s outreach and engagement efforts.

What do you plan to bring to the position(s) and organization at large?

As the Director of Communication, I plan to bring creativity, strategic planning, and a commitment to strengthening RHA’s outreach and resident engagement. My past year in this role has given me valuable experience in designing event promotions, managing social media, collaborating with housing for newsletter features, and organizing initiatives such as the Instagram giveaway. Building on this foundation, I aim to introduce new strategies that will further expand RHA’s presence on campus. One of my key initiatives will be the launch of a monthly RHA newsletter that highlights hall council achievements, showcases past and upcoming events, and increases transparency regarding RHA initiatives. This would provide residents with a consistent and accessible source of information thus improved engagement within the organization. Additionally, I want to introduce a ‘Hall Council of the Month’ award to recognize and incentivize hall councils. This would foster friendly competition and encourage greater participation in residence halls. Beyond these specific goals, I want to ensure that RHA’s communication methods reach and resonate with all residents. Expanding our social media strategies through interactive content, resident takeovers, and short-form videos can make RHA more relatable and engaging. I also plan to work closely with the executive board to align communication efforts with programming, finance, and leadership development, ensuring that our initiatives are well-coordinated and effectively promoted. Ultimately, I aim to make RHA more visible, accessible, and engaging for all residents, strengthening our community and encouraging greater involvement in campus life.

If you could improve any one thing about RHA—related to your position(s) of interest or not—what
would it be and why?

If I could improve one thing about RHA, it would be increasing resident engagement and awareness of RHA initiatives. Many students are unaware of the resources, events, and opportunities that RHA provides, which limits participation and overall impact. While our social media and event flyers have been effective, I believe there is more we can do to reach students in diverse and innovative ways. By expanding our outreach efforts and creating new incentive-based engagement programs, we can ensure that more residents feel connected to their hall councils and RHA as a whole.

If your answer to the previous question is something that can be fixed, how might that be done? If it’s
something that can’t be changed, what can we do to adjust?

Increasing resident engagement and awareness can be effectively addressed through intentional communication strategies and innovative programming initiatives. As DOC, I would implement a monthly RHA newsletter featuring hall council achievements, upcoming events, and resident highlights to provide consistent updates and reinforce RHA’s role in campus life. Introducing a “Hall Council of the Month” award with a prize or additional event budget would incentivize participation and foster a sense of accomplishment among councils. Expanding social media engagement through interactive Instagram story polls, resident takeovers, and engaging short-form videos would make RHA’s presence more engaging and relatable. Strengthening collaborations with housing and other diverse student organizations would broaden RHA’s reach and create more inclusive programming. Additionally, interactive event promotion tactics such as scavenger hunts, social media challenges, and in-person tabling with giveaways would generate excitement and increase attendance, which are what I hope to further work with the future Directer of Programming. To ensure RHA remains responsive to student needs, implementing resident feedback channels like online surveys or suggestion boxes would allow ongoing input and improvement. Through these initiatives, we can foster stronger engagement and make RHA a more recognizable and impactful presence within the residence community.

Education: Mechanical Engineering Major

Leadership Track Status: Has Not Started

State your motivation for joining the RHA Executive Board.

I am motivated to join the RHA Executive Board because I desire to ensure the well-being and satisfaction of campus residents. I hope to collaborate with other Board members to advocate for residents, promote a community of belonging, and assure that the desires of residents are not only heard, but also fulfilled. Therefore, my goal is to demonstrate leadership and make the on-campus experience positively memorable.

Please discuss any obligations (work, extracurricular, and otherwise) that you anticipate having external to RHA during the duration of your intended term and how you plan to balance/prioritize your commitments.

The obligations external to RHA that I anticipate are serving as a GT 1000 Team Leader, being a member of 1-2 campus organizations, and serving as the Chief Product Officer of a startup company. I plan to balance these commitments by incorporating an extensive schedule and task calendar that ensure I am cognizant of the responsibilities and tasks I have due. Scheduling will allow me to plan accordingly and stay organized to avoid experiencing work overloads. Additionally, I hope to complete tasks at least 1-2 days before their official deadlines to account for any scheduling or commitment conflicts that may arise. Lastly, if I do ever experience troubles with managing these commitments, I will be transparent with the team by taking accountability for my duties and asking for help from others if needed.

Director of Communication

Please discuss any relevant prior experience and how it has prepared you for the position(s) you are
applying for.

In high school, I held leadership positions as president, secretary, and event coordinator across three clubs. Additionally, I volunteered as a Youth Leader for summer and fall break camps, collaborating with fellow counselors to guide campers during weekly cooking, cartooning, and coding lessons. I also motivated and supervised campers in team building, outdoor activities, tutoring sessions, and field trips. In the summer between high school and college I joined the team for a startup company called Seamlist, which is dedicated to guiding aspiring authors in their writing and publishing journey and designing an automated book marketing tool and software for independent authors. Through this experience I have gained tremendous insight, working in a three-person team to design experiments to refine our company focus, conduct customer and market research, and attend meetings with clients and prospective clients. Additionally, I have learned to build a strong connection within our team, especially during our coworking sessions and weekly meetings where we discuss highlights, issues that need to be addressed, and our tasks for the upcoming week. Other aspects that I admire about working in Seamlist is that we each hold each other accountable, give daily check-ins to ensure we are staying on target, and encourage each other. Due to my contributions to Seamlist, I now serve as the Chief Product Officer. Furthermore, I am a mentor through the Ron Brown Scholar GPS Connect Program and served as a GT1000 Team Leader in Fall 2024, supporting incoming first-year students and providing guidance and advice with career development, personal support, and college decision making. Additionally, last semester I became the Events Coordinator for Nelson Shell Apartments, working with my fellow officers to organize meetings and plan events. Serving as the Events Coordinator so far has been insightful because I desire to hear feedback from residents, therefore I created surveys to gauge what events residents would enjoy. Furthermore, working in this team has taught me that it is important to be willing to help other officers, accept help from them, and be accommodating and flexible in regard to varying schedules. Similarly, I am a member of the RHA Programming Committee and last year I contributed to generating ideas for the decorations used during the Thanksgiving event. Considering that I was given creative liberties, I truly enjoyed experiencing the efforts needed to plan and execute an RHA event. I also volunteered on the day of the Thanksgiving event and felt glad to be a part of seeing students come in, take a break from studying, and enjoy the event. Overall, my history of leadership has taught me the importance of being an effective communicator, learning from mistakes, being adaptable, collaborating with my peers, and remembering to have a positive attitude. Therefore, I plan on applying my experience to this position by being attentive to the needs and wants of residents, being approachable and inclusive towards everyone, having an open mind to change and different perspectives, and striving to perform my best as part of the RHA Executive Board.

Please discuss your interest in the specific position(s) you are applying for.

I am interested in the Director of Communication position because my primary goal is to increase the awareness of RHA within the resident community, so more residents are cognizant of the opportunities and benefits available to them. Therefore, I plan to provide clear and consistent outreach through newsletters, social media, and emails to ensure that RHA is promoted and advertised more effectively campus wide. Through these media outlets I hope to appeal to the resident audience and increase their engagement with RHA. Additionally, I am excited to foster connections with other organizations such as NRHH, NACURH and RAs and encourage partnerships that create a greater impact that could potentially extend past Tech. Lastly, I look forward to attending the conferences based on how the current Executive Board has spoken highly of the conferences and traditions such as the Roll Calls.

What do you plan to bring to the position(s) and organization at large?

I plan to bring open communication, transparency, and collaboration as the Director of Communication of RHA. With my prior experiences in leadership, I am positive that I can fulfill my responsibilities and promote the mission of RHA by serving as a voice for residents. I strive to promote open communication because I hope to broadcast events, news, and announcements effectively to assure that residents are aware and to mitigate any uncertainties or concerns residents may have. I will be focusing on communication through eye-catching visuals on social media and newsletter and engaging through emails. I will also seek to be approachable during Legislative Council meetings, office hours, and via email so that others such as residents, Hall Council officers, and RAs feel free to contact me. Likewise, I plan to serve as a contact between RHA and external organizations to ensure strong connections with other campus groups. This will require consistent two-way communication on my end; therefore, I seek to be open-minded and approachable. Additionally, I plan to bring transparency because I want residents, RAs, and Hall Directors to all be aware of the day-to-day operations within RHA and the Executive Board. Therefore, I desire to provide timely updates to keep everyone informed. Another aspect I would like to encourage is seeking constructive feedback from residents through surveys to gauge not only my performance, but also RHA’s performance and use such feedback for improvement. Furthermore, I plan to be highly collaborative not only with other Executive Board members, but also with residents, RAs, Hall Council officers, and Hall Directors. This is because I believe extensive and widespread collaboration will lead to greater campus outreach and foster meaningful connections between each group. Overall, my ultimate goal is to support and assist fellow RHA Executive Board members to ensure that our objectives are being met.

If you could improve any one thing about RHA—related to your position(s) of interest or not—what
would it be and why?

In my first year at Tech, I was unfamiliar with RHA, and I am confident others have felt or currently feel the same. Therefore, I would improve the awareness of RHA because I believe that many residents are unaware of RHA and all it has to offer. Even on a smaller scale, I have noticed during my time as a Hall Council officer that residents are not always familiar with aspects such as Hall Council meetings, bill submissions, and additional inner workings associated with RHA. Additionally, from my experience with helping to plan the Thanksgiving event with the Programming Committee I noticed that some of the attendees stated they were not even aware of the event prior but only happened to attend because of a friend in RHA telling them. Therefore, I believe work can be done to assure that more residents are better informed of RHA.

If your answer to the previous question is something that can be fixed, how might that be done? If it’s
something that can’t be changed, what can we do to adjust?

To address the awareness of RHA within the resident community, I believe more opportunities for direct engagement are necessary. Although serving as the Director of Communication comes with the benefit of managing social media and newsletters, I recognize that these communication methods are not always effective for reaching the majority audience. Therefore, hosting engagement events such as in-person panels, promotions, and giveaways would increase the likelihood that residents would become more mindful of RHA. Additionally, even hanging posters around campus would encourage residents to learn more about RHA. Lastly, one key asset that may be overlooked is that RHA is affiliated with Resident Assistants who have direct contact with the residents. Therefore, fostering stronger communication between RHA and RAs and encouraging RAs to speak to residents about RHA would bring us one step closer to expanding RHA’s reach on campus.

Education: Biomedical Engineering Major

Leadership Track Status: Has Not Started

State your motivation for joining the RHA Executive Board.

I have always enjoyed helping others and giving back to my community and, since I began serving Hemphill Hall Council as the Events Director, I’ve had many chances to do so. While planning for our Fall Health and Wellness Fair, I was able to connect with many campus organizations to set up meetings, coordinate supplies, and plan for tabling sessions. It was exciting to see the real-time difference I was making, both through setting up a fun and exciting campus-wide event, but also through forming connections for future events and gaining valuable insight to plan more valuable experiences for attendants.

Please discuss any obligations (work, extracurricular, and otherwise) that you anticipate having external to RHA during the duration of your intended term and how you plan to balance/prioritize your commitments.

During my intended term, I will be a third year student and will likely be balancing around 15 credit hours per semester, which will leave me with more-than-adequate time for extracurricular responsibilities. Besides classes, RHA will be my primary priority, and I will be consciously planning well in advance to set aside at least 18-20 hours per week, around 3 hours per day, to brainstorm, coordinate, and execute actions for my role. I will also be forming much of my schedule around legislative council meetings, office hours I will be holding, meetings with the rest of the executive board, and setting aside 2-hour blocks during my day in the case of any events happening during the school year. During my time on Hemphill Hall Council, I have been able to prioritize my commitment to serving my hall council first and foremost by coordinating regularly with other team members, planning events and meeting times in advance, and setting aside time to work on projects daily. I am confident that the application of this method of time management will help in maintaining my commitment to serve RHA as an executive officer.

Director of Communication

Please discuss any relevant prior experience and how it has prepared you for the position(s) you are
applying for.

During my high school years, I began working as a Public Relations manager for a local nonprofit, Gratus-Cubed. That was my introduction to community service work and taking initiative to create action and work to create the change that I want to see made. During my time in the position, I coordinated regularly with local homeless shelters, such as Bethany House, to plan and carry out donation events for food and supplies. The pandemic added an extra layer of difficulty to this, but I persisted and pushed myself beyond what I had experience with at the time, through social media campaigns, developing an email template for more professionalism, and brainstorming new strategies for coordinating donations despite social distancing. It was from this experience that I realized I had a passion for communication and marketing, and I continued to gain more experience through a variety of different opportunities: I held beach and park cleanups, conducted my own research study, in which I had to purchase, plan, and present all of the supplies and details of the study and its execution independently, and held an internship during my senior year of high school for Congresswoman Grace Meng where I conducted phone interviews to determine accessibility for elderly care centers in New York city. Coming into college, I knew I wanted to continue working in a position requiring communication. I have begun viewing it as a strength, though just a few years ago I would have described communication and public speaking to be my greatest weakness. I joined FASET as a FASET leader during the summer of my first year. I wasn’t able to participate in in-person FASET when I came to Tech, so I wanted to ensure that other in-coming students would still be able to join in on the fun, even if they were joining FASET virtually. I made it my goal to create a safe and welcoming environment for in-coming students where students could feel comfortable asking me questions, chatting, and showing their personalities and making new friends. I participated in almost 20 sessions of FASET, conducting a small group for each, and participated in our training retreat, where I learned more strategies and games to play with students during small group sessions to create a relaxed and fun experience. As I gained more experience in holding sessions, I began creating my own games for students to play, and engaging with students individually to ensure every student felt comfortable enough to ask me questions, if needed. I also helped serve as a direction guide to families and as a tour guide; since biomedical engineering, the major I’m in and often represented for tours, was so large, my time in sessions often taught me to project my voice and to gain the attention of many people at once. FASET was incredibly fun and rewarding for me, and one of the most important things I learned was to simply be direct. When I was helping students schedule for their upcoming classes, some of my advice that the students I helped appreciated the most were given to them very directly and respectfully. I learned that I could be kind but also be firm, such as when I had a few students confidently let me know their plans to take 20 credits during their first semester, including honors physics. I was able to compromise and let them know my opinions on their course load and my recommendations without making them feel scared or nervous, and was very clear about every add/drop policy this school had, which the students usually were not fully aware of. Once, after a day of FASET, while I was waiting for my shift to start for lifeguarding, I overheard a student next to me arguing with their parent about whether or not to ask me a question about their schedule, since they noticed I was still in my FASET uniform. While, in the past, I would probably be too nervous to directly approach them, I realized that, had I been in their position, I would likely be stressed and wondering if I could also ask the conveniently placed FASET leader next to me a question as well. I decided to directly approach them and offer my help, and together, we were able to find a resolution to the problem they were facing. Much of communication requires empathy and, at the beginning of this school year, I decided to investigate more deeply into that through taking LMC-3813-H, communication pedagogy. I wanted to know more about how we think and teach communication, and learn more about how I think of communication. My final presentation was on the pedagogical effects of standardized “critical thinking” lessons, and I researched into how we as a society approach critical thought, difference of opinions and approaches, and how there is no universal method to approach a work of media. Not only did this course teach me about how communication is taught, which directly links to how communication is shaped in different people and through different experiences, but I also learned just how vast our comprehension of media differs, and the multitude of interpretations that could exist for even one poster or advertisement. At the same time, I was serving Hemphill Hall Council as its Events Director, a position I still hold, which I joined due to my love and passion for event planning. To facilitate communication with our residents, we decided to host weekly events right after every weekly meeting. I create posters to advertise meetings, and through my experience with communications pedagogy, I was able to incorporate a lot of my new learnings into our meeting posters. Even graphical design elements such as the style of art used in the poster, fonts, and colors can be vital to catching the attention and interest of residents, and location placement is also very important. I also engage with residents, not only to create a fun environment, but also just to make new friends and enjoy the events for myself as well. We now have several regular attendants of events, and we’ve helped build a kind and warm environment for our hall. During our largest event held last semester, the Fall Health and Wellness Festival, my love and desire to continue working for RHA in communication was solidified. I was able to coordinate with over a dozen different on-campus facilities, organizations, and companies to plan and prepare for our event. Among these organizations, several were unable to attend, but still offered valuable insight and a desire to continue working with Hemphill on future events. It was immensely rewarding to be able to coordinate with so many amazing people who were all motivated and excited to host an event together, and the event ended up including many beloved campus institutions, including Chick-Fil-A, Parents with Pups, and the Mental Health and Wellness Empowerment Center.

Please discuss your interest in the specific position(s) you are applying for.

I have always loved to communicate and coordinate plans with others, whether for a small get-together with friends I haven’t seen in a while or to put together an event with hundreds of attendants. Much of the Director of Communication’s role is to stay present within the lives of Georgia Tech students, to coordinate with organizations who want to partner with us and to let students know our purpose in helping their life at college. I enjoy the role of communications, whether it’s to create posters, newsletters, social media posts, or simply to email and schedule meetings with campus partners, and I would be very excited to implement many new ideas I have for the role. RHA could be a vital resource for many students, from hosting small, residence hall meetings to larger, campus-wide festivals, and I want to bring greater accessibility of RHA to the students at this school.

What do you plan to bring to the position(s) and organization at large?

Communication involves understanding an audience and working with their interests. As the events director for Madhatter Knits, which I’ve begun serving at the same time as my time in RHA, I’ve also gained many valuable experiences. From talking to members and attendants of our events, I noticed that many students at this school want to learn crochet and knitting, but don’t want to only be limited to creating hats, which is customary for our club. In response, I began planning for more events that can benefit our community but also allow members to create simple crochet and knitted items, thus allowing all participants to learn and have fun while also not being limited to only hats. I ended up brainstorming many events, such as our “market” events, in which we sell products that members have created, thus allowing members to create anything they would like, and donate the profits, which allows us to effectively help local health organizations obtain supplies and continue their operations. I also created the plan to create handmade items for the families of babies in NICU, thus joining together our goals of helping babies in NICU and mothers, and offering support to mothers in our community who are going through a difficult and fearful process. I have also personally begun teaching members how to crochet and knit at events, which has been hugely popular as well, and leans into our strengths of being an already established crafting club and community. As events director of Hemphill Hall Council, I’ve become accustomed to gathering information on current interests and activities passively. When I walk through a grocery market and see eye-catching and heavily advertised snacks, I make a note to possibly include it as an item in our next event. When I see a new trend or craft online, I save it and search up supplies for the activity and brainstorm ways to include it into an upcoming event. Marketing an event to residents should also work in their favor: communication involves compromise, and any event or resource that we as RHA want residents to attend should also include items and activities that they would most want to see. Oftentimes, residents also don’t want to spend the extra money for popular items themselves, which makes an event valuable to residents as it not only offers the experience of having fun with friends, but also provides an experience they usually would or could not pay for themselves. When brainstorming for new ways to reach the rest of campus, I put a lot of thought into what students at Georgia Tech would like from their campus resources. I am excited to approach the Director of Communications role with more ideas: social media campaigning is very important to daily communication and could be greatly expanded upon for RHA. For example, there could be more frequent posts on the RHA account for behind-the-scenes on event setup, multiple posts per major event, such as the Halloween Festival, and some lighthearted participation in school-appropriate trends. RHA members on both executive and hall council levels could also be more strongly encouraged to repost all RHA posts, such as through points or prizes. Many of the more-liked posts on the RHA page are those with large collaborations and participants, such as the recent drag show, or the recent giveaway, which is a good area of interest to expand upon further for future marketing ideas as well, such as through more emphasis on giveaways or events that involve free items and by inviting other campus social media accounts to collaborate on posts. Furthermore, graphic design and color cohesion could also be used to make posts by RHA more eye-catching and recognizable. A helpful method to organize contacts when I was planning and coordinating the Fall Health and Wellness festival was to create a “points of contact” reference list. This was helpful in communicating to the rest of the team who to contact and email for various supplies and who we are in contact with for activities, as well as for future reference. For example, since the event was held at Burger Bowl, area reservation did not operate in the same way as Tech Green, and I had to schedule a separate meeting with the CRC. For future reference, those points of contact and the protocol are saved and could be revisited. This may be beneficial to keep track of and consistently keep in touch with campus partners on the executive scale, and could be useful in the event that a hall council or anyone on the executive board needs a resource but doesn’t know who to ask. A good example of this was that, due to the timing of the festival, I was unable to obtain tables and chairs due to commencement ceremonies, and I had to visit a separate campus conference center. This note of communication and resources is useful for the future, in case someone next year on Hemphill’s council wants to throw an event during the same time and isn’t sure where to find them.

If you could improve any one thing about RHA—related to your position(s) of interest or not—what
would it be and why?

A large difficulty of hosting events is how to communicate them to a student population. I think one of the largest issues, not only with RHA but with Georgia Tech as a whole, is the decentralization of communication and advertising for events and resources. I believe it is an impediment in students of Georgia Tech taking full advantage of the amazing opportunities, most of which free, this campus offers. I often hear comments from students when they cannot attend events, from RHA or otherwise, on campus, and oftentimes it relates to not knowing the event is going on rather than having a time conflict or not being interested. This not only limits the amount of students who can benefit from RHA events, but also limits the amount of collaborations or collaborative efforts RHA is able to do with the rest of campus. This is challenging to navigate, especially with the large size of the student body, but could be improved through more closely monitored communication techniques.

If your answer to the previous question is something that can be fixed, how might that be done? If it’s
something that can’t be changed, what can we do to adjust?

A large part of the issues I want to address as Director of Communication are very tied with more carefully interacting with the rest of campus: communication protocols for both executive board and hall councils can be put in place, such as a recommended amount of meetings per semester or examples of advertising tactics that could be utilized to help students be in touch with RHA. As the executive board, points could also be awarded for encouraging residents to follow the RHA account or for hall council officers reposting content by the RHA account. The email of the Director of Communication can also be more widely given so that campus partners or anyone with questions could always reach the first point of contact. In partnership with each individual hall council, a monthly newsletter template could be sent out to every hall council for residents to not only keep track of what the executive board has planned, but also the meetings and events of their own hall council. Using a template would allow for stylistic cohesion and will allow editors to quickly change every aspect of the newsletter to quickly keep up-to-date with every month. A calendar of upcoming events, both for each unique hall council and also for general RHA events, could also be provided on this newsletter and, during tabling events in-person, this calendar, but edited to only contain general RHA events, could be printed and handed to students as flyers. After every general RHA event, there could be a followup post online on Instagram to show people what was accomplished and what activities were offered at the event. This could be especially helpful for smaller events, such as Lunch&Learns, in which students may want some photos of every event to properly envision how the events are organized. Furthermore, hall council of the year points could also be posted monthly to highlight the leading hall council of each month. This could not only promote activity and incentive within residents of a hall council to actively participate in their hall council, but hall councils that are posted can share photos from their events and meetings to inspire others, reflect on their successes, and share ideas of what worked for them. This also promotes a friendly competition, which can further promote community within each hall council and between hall councils. Tabling is also a great way to interact face-to-face with campus. RHA could attend club fairs, table on Tech Green, pass out merch, flyers, or other goodies, or set up a quick game booth for people, such as a wheel spin game, a ring toss, or offering a prize for people who want to try beating someone at rock, paper, scissors. Tabling can also provide a “sneak peak” for events, such as the Halloween Festival or Wellness Days. For example, a week before the Halloween festival, we could set up tables on Tech Green and pass out Halloween-themed cookies, or set up a quick Halloween game. For regularly occurring events, such as Wellness Days, we could pass out tea bags, small pastries, or stress balls. It would also help clarify to students that all residents are welcome to attend RHA events and get involved with RHA.

Education: Mechanical Engineering Major

Leadership Track Status: Has Not Started

State your motivation for joining the RHA Executive Board.

For the 2024-2025 academic year I served as the Finance Coordinator for the Nelson Shell Residence Hall. Through this position I’ve grown to enjoy even more the impact that a residence community has on a student’s life. Joining the RHA executive board would allow me to do this on a bigger scale and engage residents from all across the campus as opposed to just the hall I live in. Additionally, I think the bigger role/responsibility would prove to be advantageous as I aspire to grow and develop professionally.

Please discuss any obligations (work, extracurricular, and otherwise) that you anticipate having external to RHA during the duration of your intended term and how you plan to balance/prioritize your commitments.

During my term, I anticipate still being involved in my current undergraduate research, intramural sports, an on campus Christian Ministry, and National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). Some of these involvements such as intramurals and NSBE require much less commitment and won’t occupy a lot of my time. Nonetheless, handling these involvements while balancing a GT course load will require efficient time management and proper prioritization. I plan to accomplish this by being very organized with my calendar and outlining the semester when I receive class syllabi. Taking note of my midterm dates, event dates, busier/lighter weeks, and meeting times. I do this currently and it’s super helpful to have a schedule of what the next two weeks look like so I can start allocating time to fulfilling my commitments in a timely manner. Whether it be assignments, social events, Bible Study, or an hour and half time slot for intramural basketball, everything goes into the Calendar so I can plan ahead.

Director of Finance

Please discuss any relevant prior experience and how it has prepared you for the position(s) you are
applying for.

My most obvious relevant experience is my current role as the Finance Coordinator for Nelson-Shell Residence Hall . Through this role I’ve been introduced into the behind the scenes of RHA and learning the process of making halls into homes. I’ve learned how to engage my community and lead my peers. From a positional standpoint I’ve become familiar with the finance policies and comfortable communicating these policies to residents to help them plan and fund events. Over the course of Hall Council meetings I began to realize that my position is very simple. I’m the conduit to which residents learn they have free money to spend on fun things! My job is to best equip them with the knowledge and confidence of the budget and funding methods to do so. Although I’m running for the Director of Finance Position as opposed to the Director of Communication, one of my most important qualities in this position would be my communication. Through my current position I’ve learned that continuous communication with my fellow Hall Council officers, Hall Director, and residents makes our finances run smoothly. As the Director of Finance I will bring this quality and step it up to the level necessary of an executive board position. My current position has also taught me the importance of organization and reinforced the idea of staying on top of things. By constantly referencing my budget tracker, carefully editing it, and immediately updating it after expenditures, I was always able to effectively communicate our remaining budget and money allocations whenever asked. As Director of Finance there will be more accounts to manage and more frequent expenditures which will require efficient management and timely updating. All of which are skills I’ve been honing as the finance coordinator. Beyond my current finance position, my other extracurricular involvements, part-time job and course load have prepared me for this position. Although not explicitly pertaining to finances, many of these skills transfer over perfectly. I have a busy schedule which requires efficient time management, an organized calendar, effective planning, and dedication. As the DOF I will still have other commitments and my current schedule has shown me how to balance multiple involvements. Additionally, these skills will apply directly to the expected responsibilities of the DOF such as keeping record of multiple accounts, setting budget definitions, and revising financial policies. These responsibilities require strategic planning and high level organization. Skills that I’ve been growing and improving on as a driven Georgia Tech student.

Please discuss your interest in the specific position(s) you are applying for.

For the 2024-2025 academic year, I served as the Finance Coordinator for the Nelson Shell Residence Hall, where I played a key role in creating a comfortable, engaging, and enjoyable environment for residents by managing budgets and educating residents on financial planning. This experience has deepened my understanding of financial oversight, budget allocation, and responsible spending, all of which are critical to ensuring a well-funded and vibrant community. I am eager to join the executive board as the Director of Finance (DOF) to expand on my current position. This position will allow me to build on my existing skills while taking on greater responsibility in financial decision-making and strategic planning. It would serve as a great opportunity to enhance funding efficiency, support impactful programs, and help shape residents’ experiences on a larger scale. Additionally, these bigger responsibilities would improve my organization and communication which are necessary skills in the professional workforce.

What do you plan to bring to the position(s) and organization at large?

I’ve always enjoyed working with budgets and financial planning, but what really excites me about this role is the impact I can make. Managing money isn’t just about numbers, it’s about transparency, communication and using resources wisely to create a better experience for everyone. As the Director of Finance I’m the vehicle to which residents learn about the money they have access to and how they can use it. One of my biggest goals is to ensure that RHA’s financial processes are clear and easy to follow. I know from experience that financial transparency builds trust, and I want residents to feel confident that their fees are being used wisely. I’d like to create a budget request tracking system, where students and hall representatives can check the status of their funding requests and reimbursements in real time. This way, no one is left wondering if their event will get the financial support it needs. With my background in finance, leadership, and strategic planning, I’m confident that I can help RHA make the most of its budget while keeping students at the center of every financial decision. I’m excited for the opportunity to serve as Director of Finance, and if elected, I’ll work to ensure that RHA’s financial operations are transparent, efficient, and focused on making our residential community the best it can be.

If you could improve any one thing about RHA—related to your position(s) of interest or not—what
would it be and why?

In my experience as the finance coordinator, I’ve realized that the reimbursement time for residents to receive their money is very slow. I understand that P-card is heavily encouraged due to this, but if the goal of RHA is to make halls into homes, I think it should be of the utmost importance to have multiple options when accessing budget money for greater flexibility and easier planning. I personally have residents who organized events back in October and November of 2024 who still haven’t been reimbursed. I’ve been emailed by these residents for updates on their reimbursement, but unfortunately I had no information for them other than myself and the Hall Director signing our portion. From what I’ve learned, the reason for this slow process is beyond the DOF and is a bigger issue within RHA. If I could improve one thing about RHA it would be to improve the reimbursement time to within three weeks and improve transparency on the status of resident reimbursements.

If your answer to the previous question is something that can be fixed, how might that be done? If it’s
something that can’t be changed, what can we do to adjust?

In order to improve the reimbursement time to within three weeks and have transparency on the status of resident reimbursements, there are a couple of solutions. Firstly, to shorten reimbursement time there should be less people involved with the signing of EAF’s. I understand that it’s important to have multiple eyes look over a reimbursement to make sure it follows policies and guidelines, but the more people it has to go through the greater the likelihood of it getting lost in someone’s email, and it lengthens the process for the EAF to reach its end destination. To my knowledge, the EAF goes from the finance coordinator to the Hall Director to the DOF and then to an Auditor who finalizes the EAF and then a resident is reimbursed. This seems very redundant and error prone. To make this process smoother the Hall Director and or DOF should be cut from this process so that EAF can be processed quicker. If the goal of having multiple eyes on an EAF is to ensure it’s in accordance with policies, then I think more emphasis should go into the teaching of the policies rather than checking to see if they’ve been met. Secondly, to have transparency on the status of resident reimbursements, a clear timeline of the EAF’s should be explained to the Finance Coordinators. This way Finance Coordinators can effectively communicate to residents when they have questions about their reimbursement status. Additionally I think it would be helpful if there was some sort of notification or tracker of reimbursement status. After each person signs their portion of the EAF there should be an email update of person “x” signing it sent to the Finance Coordinator and the resident. That way it’s easier to track where the Reimbursement process is being halted at. If the email notification option creates issues of “spam” emails, then I think a tracking system similar to tracking a package or food delivery should be implemented that a resident can check at any time. I know these issues can be fixed because RA’s in my resident hall who go through a different reimbursement process receive theirs in a timely manner. This is because their reimbursements go straight from the Hall Director to the auditor. These improvements would make RHA funding more efficient and an attractive experience. This would increase community involvement and instill confidence in residents that they can host amazing events and get reimbursed in a reasonable manner.