Two days are never the same for any of Riordan’s Room Assistants (RAs). As the backbone of Riordan’s boarding program, they support international students through anything that comes their way, always ready to help.
Established 12 years ago, the program offers more than 80 students from 18 different countries a Riordan education. Riordan offers on-campus dorms as well as host family options for the international students. Students living on campus receive more assistance day-to-day from the RAs, but the Room Assistants still play an integral part in the hosted students’ lives.
A typical day begins after school, around 3:00 p.m., when RAs join students in the dorm’s common area where, according to RA Lauren Smith, students “hang out, watch tv, and receive 1:1 support.”
Around 5:00 or 6:00 p.m., students begin to gather in the cafeteria for dinner. “We go to the cafeteria when dinner starts at 5. It ends at 6:30 and there’s food in the dorm rooms if students don’t eat,” said Dorm student Rylie Cho. “We supervise meals, study halls, nightly routines, open gym, and any off-campus boarding events.” After dinner, the students disperse to use the campus facilities–whether that means heading to the gym for a game of basketball, lifting weights in the weight room, or studying in the library. The RAs ensure the campus remains accessible, allowing the exchange students to take full advantage of their resources.
On weekends, the students enjoy their freedom, but adhere to a few important structures in place. Meals are less formal, starting with brunch at 11:00 a.m., and students have an 11:00 p.m. curfew to observe. RAs remain on duty to supervise and guide students through the day’s events, which could range from off-campus excursions into the city or spending time in the dorms.
“There are surprises every single day,” said Trinity Yates, a new Riordan RA. “You never know what’s going to happen, and that’s the beauty of it.”
With their schedules being so unpredictable, there is one constant—the RAs love their job and their students. Kelsey Cottrell, an experienced RA, said, “It’s very special, a very unique job.”
