The Meaning of a Mentor
Photos by Sam Landau
A glimpse into residence life at CSUN
CSUN Sophomore and Resident Advisor Michael Gonzalez overlooking student housing March 15th, 2022 in Northridge, Calif. (Sam Landau | Scene Magazine)
On the fifth floor of Shore Pine Hall, there’s a sense of community and camaraderie. Feelings of warmth and welcoming stem from the floor’s decorations, transporting anyone who enters to Neverland from Disney’s Peter Pan. Flyers are dispersed throughout to share upcoming events. Students welcome one another and share a strong bond. This is all because of the hard work of Resident Mentor Michael Gonzalez.
Gonzalez, a sophomore at CSUN, is currently in his first year as an RM. He balances his classes as a Broadcast Journalism major and Musical Theatre minor, in addition to guiding the students on his floor through their freshmen year.
On floor five he was able to choose a theme to make the residents feel more at home. With this inspiration he chose Neverland, as he loves Disneyland and thinks you’re never too old to continue your childhood. But there’s more to the Neverland theme than just the Disney reference. “I chose Neverland because all students can’t give up on their dreams, whether it's big or small,” said Gonzalez. “They have to continue to strive for them because you never know what the outcome may be for their success”. By having the Neverland theme, it's also a reminder for his residents to be a kid, have fun and enjoy their freshmen experience; a healthy mentality to keep in mind during these uncertain times.
When asked why he wanted to become an RM his instant response was, “family spirit.” He emphasized that since the students are no longer living at home and we do not know what people go through on a daily basis, “you want to create a family vibe.” Gonzalez grew up in the San Fernando Valley with a close family and aimed to bring that same value to Shore Pine Hall. His goal was to facilitate individuality, so the student’s space could feel like their own and they could be free to express themselves.
Gonzalez views his role in part to be an older brother to his residents, making it clear to them that he is there to support them and work together to solve any issues that come up throughout their time at CSUN.
“The way I see it is, this is your home away from home so why not be a family with your residents,” Gonzalez said.
“The way I see it is, this is your home away from home so why not be a family with your residents”
In addition to being a support system for residents, RMs have other responsibilities. Assistant Community Director Zachary Ghamlouch knows first hand what these responsibilities entail, as he was a Resident Advisor at CSUN for over three years.
Whether their title is Resident Advisor, Mentor or Assistant; the same basic principles apply to the job and what it entails. Something to keep in mind is that each RA is unique in how they navigate the position. Their backgrounds can influence how they go about their job, and when conflicts arise.
“RAs come in a wide range of people and identities just like humans as a whole,” Ghamlouch said. “We want to be representative of that because not every single person who looks like this, acts like this, is going to be an RA or going to be someone who works in Residential Life.”
Resident Mentors are an important part of the student housing system at CSUN for many reasons. They provide a sense of structure and make sure everyone is safe while living in the residence halls. For the freshmen dorms especially, they help students through first year nerves and moving from one’s home to campus. On top of that, they also hold students accountable and enforce policies.
Illustration by Carolyn Burt
One large part of the RM’s role is that they have a set amount of days per semester they’re required to be on duty. Being on duty means that for that night they are responsible for answering the duty phone for any emergencies residents might have, such as getting locked out of their rooms, a roommate conflict or general resident issues.
“That's primarily what they do, they’re a policy enforcer–on duty,” Ghamlouch said, “A community engagement creator and manager during those experiences, then helping develop the community on their floor or within their building.”
There are many things on the RMs plates, as they are students too. Yes, there are perks to being an RM but with all this responsibility comes tough times. Students who take on the role as RM are given free housing, free food, free printing, in addition to priority enrollment for their classes. But these advantages also come with their downsides. RMs are not allowed to bring guests past 7:30 p.m. which can lead them to feeling trapped or lacking a social life. As Gonzalez puts it, “I live, breathe and eat CSUN 24/7.”
For students who are not familiar with all that the RM position entails, it can be easy to jump to conclusions about how RMs go about their jobs. “A common misconception is that we’re…that we are not compassionate about having to deal with difficult situations,” Ghamlouch said. In addition to building a community on their floor, RMs also have to be the ones to have those tough conversations with residents when they are not following policies and hold them accountable. It is a tough reality to the job, as it makes RMs feel as though they have to be the bad guy in the situation.
With everything that they have to balance, being an RM can be overwhelming. For Gonzalez, he is not only a student and an RM, but an office assistant at student housing as well. Gonzalez noted that “I thought it was going to be more relaxing, kind of not as stressful,” when discussing his preconceived notions about being an RM.
Unlike other jobs, every day is different for RMs. Gonzalez emphasized that, “you don’t know what's going to actually occur on a day-to-day basis,” which can be daunting. While trying to balance one’s life, not knowing what's expected of you on a day-to-day basis can be difficult.
“He’s basically shown what an RA is supposed to be like.”
CSUN Freshman and Psychology major Jaylynn Jackson outside her dorm. (Sam Landau | Scene Magazine)
Since RMs are crucial support systems for students, Student Housing makes sure to emphasize the counseling services and resources that are available. “Being that source of support I think is somewhat overlooked. It’s not necessarily information that’s constantly shared,” Ghamlouch noted.
“It’s in those moments of one on one interactions where you’re supporting that resident, supporting that student, and helping them in that moment that not a lot of people are going to know because that’s something privately shared.”
For Jaylynn Jackson, a fifth floor resident at Shore Pine Hall, Gonzalez had a huge role in impacting her life at CSUN. Jackson was the first resident of Gonzalez’s to move into the residence hall last semester. She was excited about moving, but had some first day jitters wondering if she made the right choice.
CSUN seemed to be the perfect distance from home for the Oakland, Calif. native. It was close enough that friends and family could visit, but far enough that they would not be driving down every weekend. However, move-in day had her questioning if it was the best fit for her.
It was after a conversation with Gonzalez that she felt like it was where she was supposed to be. Jackson expressed that, “the energy was already there,” on move-in day and at their first floor meeting, Gonzalez did a good job with, “letting us know that he is here for us.”
Jackson expressed how most people moving into the dorms, whether freshman or not, can have difficulties with the transition but Gonzalez, “was able to bring the community of our floor together.” Bringing community to student housing is a crucial role for the RAs and Gonzalez is a shining example of that, as Jackson puts it, “He’s basically shown what an RA is supposed to be like.”
The strength of community on the fifth floor is a testament to the hard work Gonzalez put in from day one. The residents do many activities with each other and welcome new students to the floor with open arms. They spend their time together by going to the pool on campus, studying at the library and taking full advantage of the common room by playing games and just hanging out with one another. “We are so close on this floor, all my friends are on this floor,” Jackson said.
RMs are expected to put on events for their residents to build community, although COVID-19 restrictions have reduced this. Because of this, Gonzalez is also helping students who are sent to the COVID-19 unit in the residence hall. Because the students have to isolate themselves outside of their dorm room, he’s helping to provide decorations to create a more enjoyable environment.
As restrictions reduce on campus, things look a little more optimistic. Student Housing is hosting Mata-chella, inspired by Coachella, which will have an obstacle course for residents to partake in. That evening they will also put on a Prom Night, a night of recognizing academic achievements for residents, but also providing an experience for students who missed out on their senior prom because of the pandemic.
For anyone who becomes an RA, it is a much bigger experience than what the description looks like on a resume. It is a chance to grow, become a leader and make a meaningful difference in students' lives. Gonzalez emphasized that, “Seeing that I made an impact on people’s lives,” has been one of the most rewarding parts of being an RA. Even though it can be stressful balancing life and academics, the memories are ones that RAs like Gonzales and Ghamlouch will be able to look back on for years to come.
