June 19, 2020 by

Dear Future Yellow Jacket,

My name is Chris Hile, and I am a senior marketing & finance major at Cedarville. I am the youngest of three kids and will be the fifth person in my family to graduate from Cedarville University; needless to say, this school has had a huge impact on my whole family’s life. When I’m on campus, I love spending time with my friends, playing spikeball, and going on donut runs with whomever is willing. Cedarville has changed my life; its emphasis on spiritual growth is evident through chapel, Bible classes, and daily conversations with fellow students and faculty. Everyone in leadership wants to see students develop spiritually and academically.

In my three years at Cedarville, I have tried to immerse myself in as many areas on campus as I can without overwhelming my schedule. I have been a student worker in Admissions, a tour guide, a discipleship leader, class council member, an org officer, and, most recently, an RA. I learned a lot through each of these roles and developed some super sweet friendships that will remain far beyond my time as a student. I think one of the greatest things about Cedarville is the opportunity for everyone to get involved in something they want to do.

Of all the things I have been involved with on campus, being a resident assistant (RA) is by far my favorite. The first week of my freshman year, I knew I wanted to work in Residence Life someday. Throughout my first two years, my RA had a big impact on my life; he modeled a godly lifestyle, gave me good advice whenever I needed it, called me out when I did stupid things, and sought to develop friendships with the guys in our unit. I knew if I had the opportunity to be an RA, I wanted to be like him. At the end of my sophomore year, I applied to be an RA in Lawlor Hall. The process included a written application, group interviews with the other potential RAs, and a one-on-one interview with the Resident Director of the residence hall. It was a sweet experience, and I was so pumped to be offered the position.

Junior year marked the beginning of my RA experience, and it proved to be a big challenge but also provided me with personal growth, new friendships, and memorable experiences. My favorite part about being an RA is witnessing the guys in my unit grow in their relationship with the Lord; seeing them spend time in Scripture and challenge each other to follow Christ on a deeper level is what it’s all about. Another part about being an RA that I enjoy is planning events; this past year, events ranged from weekly brunches and a Christmas party to (my personal favorite) a weekend road trip to Badlands National Park in South Dakota. Each event or activity that we do builds community and creates bonds that enhance our overall campus experience.

Every university has RAs and a Residence Life structure, but I believe Cedarville has one of the best (I may be a little biased). Each RA is different in how they approach the role, but we all have one common goal: to see those around us love the Lord more every day. In RA training at the beginning of the year, a large emphasis is placed on personal discipleship and counseling of others. Throughout the year, we are continually reminded of our mission and strive to serve those around us to the best of our abilities. RAs are far from perfect and we definitely don’t have everything figured out, but our hope and prayer is that people will graduate from Cedarville ready to seek personal growth, to get involved in the local church, and to make an impact for the Kingdom at their jobs.

The Lord has used Cedarville to greatly impact my life, and I am so thankful to be a part of life here. Through Residence Life, I have been able to take what I have learned and share that with those around me. I am SO pumped for you future Yellow Jackets to experience the same thing. See you soon!

Chris Hile | Lawlor RA

 

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