The student residential experience would not be complete without resident directors. As part of the Office of Residential Experience and general Residential Services team, RDs live on campus and help manage one of four residential areas. 

RDs have several responsibilities. Kristen Beck, one of North Residential Area’s RDs, said their role varies every day. They said the bulk of their time consists of supervising resident assistants and supporting programming within their respective campus area. 

Beck added that all RDs serve in a 24/7 on-call rotation, always available to any students that need support on campus. They are also consistently checking facilities for any issues to submit maintenance tickets for, Beck said.

Aaron Klama, a Southwest Residential Area RD, worked as a residence assistant at Saginaw Valley State University prior to joining Northwestern’s RD team and said he enjoyed the experience.

“It allowed me to work with students in a capacity that I hadn’t before, and it let me help people in times of need,” Klama said. “My initial idea for becoming a resident director was to help students grow and foster a good environment for them to change into whoever they want to be.”  

Another unique aspect of the RDs’ job is living on campus. 

For Klama, living in their workspace is an interesting dynamic, he said. 

“It’s a very unique experience that you only get so many times in your life,” Klama said. “It’s a very enjoyable experience, and you’re able to get involved in a lot of ways that other university professionals may not get the opportunity to.”

Klama also said he enjoys working with other RDs and the residential services team in general, especially in an environment where they can offer support to students.

According to Beck, Northwestern’s location allows them to better enjoy Northwestern’s involvement within the community.

“Something I really love about Northwestern’s campus is we are situated right in the community and are part of the neighborhood,” Beck said. “We get to interact with neighbors and students, and I think that is really important.”

Beck also shared that another favorite part of living on campus is being on the lake, especially because they grew up on a Great Lake.

South Residential Area RD Dominique Peel said that Northwestern is a great fit for him.

“I’m originally from the Chicagoland area, and Northwestern just had a lot of things that aligned with my values. With it being back closer to home, it was kind of a hand-in-glove fit for me,” Peel said. 

Because RDs are responsible for their own programming budget and overseeing RAs’ budgets, Beck said they initiated several events and activities for students to enjoy on campus. 

Currently, Peel hosts “Desserts with Dominique” every other week. He said that he enjoys being able to engage with the residence halls with sweet treats.

RDs also offer students opportunities to engage in outdoor activities. Klama hosts community walks for Southwest Area students to boost mental wellness because of his interest in advocating for mental health.

“(Community walks) can connect students with our partners over at (Counseling and Psychological Services), so students are aware that there is therapy on campus easily accessible to them,” Klama said.

Beck also shared some of their visions for current and upcoming programs in the North Area. Beck said that they are interested in art and advocacy, so many of their programs encourage students to engage in the wider campus community. 

One of Beck’s programs teaches students how to make zines, or small handmade booklets, they said. They also hope to implement a program called “Paint your Point of View,” where students can paint something about their experience on campus and potentially showcase them to peers. 

Klama said that RDs are always working to create a better sense of community. 

“We are always striving to keep improving our processes and making sure that we are staying in the know with student trends and needs,” Klama said. “(We are) making sure that we are in touch as much as we can with the student body to make sure that we can best support folks.”

Email: courtneychen2027@u.northwestern.edu 

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