With Six Sets of Siblings, UA Residential Life Becomes Place for the Whole Family

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Some say one of the greatest measures of a program’s success is the number of family generations it attracts.

“You wouldn’t want your sister or brother to do something you didn’t enjoy,” Lisa Skelton, director of Residential Life at The University of Alabama, said. Residential Life has six sets of siblings working there this year.

Most siblings are employed as resident assistants, or RA’s. These students are trained in counseling skills and live on campus in the residential halls with other students. They plan activities to meet the needs and interests of their residents and provide an excellent personal source for help with campus life. They are also instrumental in building a community atmosphere on their floor.

Alec Helms, a junior from Headland, has already thought about his brother, a freshman, applying for the position.

“My brother doesn’t know much about the job, but he’s heard me talk about it and say different things,” Helms said.

Helms said it takes a lot of patience to be willing to help people and make sacrifices. As an RA he gets a private room.

Some of the siblings applied for the position together. Others followed in their sibling’s footsteps. Many of these students applied for the residential assistant position because they wanted a leadership position on campus.

This unique job allows the students to develop many positive leadership characteristics. They gain management experience by learning to accommodate and be responsible for their residents.

Amity Moncrief of Northport said the job has given her a new understanding of what it means to be accountable. All RA’s learn how to balance school and work. To be hired, the students must meet certain grade point average requirements.

Many also applied because they admired the example their RAs were to them.

“I wanted to be that type of mentor for others,” Keith Buchanan, a finance major from Tuscumbia, said. Keith enjoys working without his brother Kyle. Most of his residents don’t know he has a twin brother.

Kisha Rookard of Birmingham (zip code 35206) also enjoys working without her sister. She said that her sister Kia Rookard is more outgoing and being an RA has taught her to be more involved and assertive with people.

Skelton said she makes a point not to assign siblings to work under each other.

“Supervising is hard enough without supervising a sister or a brother,” she said.

Amity is glad that she doesn’t work under her sister Kalindy Moncrief, a coordinator.

“Whenever you work with siblings you tend not to look at them in the same manner and it’s harder to give them that respect,” Amity said. “It’s easier to not to have to worry about that.”

Staff members in the residence halls are trained and dedicated to make every effort to provide a great residence hall experience for every student.

“We’re like their family away from home,” Skelton said.