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January Resident Assistants of the Month!

Resident Assistants (RAs) at the University of Tennessee are a vital part of the on-campus living experience. From walking with first-year students to find class buildings, to providing late night support when a faucet is leaking, RAs are on call around the clock and are responsible for fostering the sense of community on their floors.

Join us in celebrating the January RAs of the Month!

Erika Sudbrink – Hess Hall:

Erika is a first year resident assistant (RA) in Hess Hall this year, but she stands out above the rest simply due to her outstanding personality, work ethic, and overall caring demeanor. Erika truly embodies the “Volunteer Spirit” in every aspect of her life, but most importantly in her resident assistant (RA) role. Erika does anything she can for anyone whether it be a resident, other RA, or stranger. Not only that, but Erika has had some very difficult experiences at our front desk and has never lost her positivity or customer service. This is such an amazing quality. When Erika is working the Hess front desk, I do not have to worry about what type of service our residents are getting. Other RAs on my staff watch her interact with other residents at the front desk because she is the one they want to emulate.

During the month of January, Erika also helped to train a new resident assistant on the Hess Hall staff. She explained concepts, showed her around the building, etc. Erika may not realize it, but her training is a big part in why that new resident assistant (RA) knows how to effectively and efficiently do her job. Even being as dedicated as she is to the resident assistant (RA) position, Erika continues to excel outside of the residence hall as well. She can commonly be found studying for classes, being involved with organizations on campus, and trying to help those in need. She continues to impress the Hess Hall staff with her dedication and loyalty to everything she commits herself to because she does it to help others. Her trademark is her work ethic, kindness, and honesty. I fully believe that Erika is here to better her residents’ lives.

Jeremy Westbrook—North Carrick

Jeremy Westbrook is a first year resident assistant in North Carrick Hall, but that hasn’t stopped him from making outstanding contributions to the staff and community of his hall. Jeremy is always willing to take a shift for someone, be on hall, or just lend a helping hand when needed. His staff can always depend on him to assist with a building-wide program, or last minute task, without a complaint! Jeremy has overcome difficulties with balancing his school work and life as an RA in order to always be available to his residents. Recently, Jeremy did a great job mediating a tough roommate conflict with two of his residents. The roommates were to a breaking point, but Jeremy stepped in and did all he could to avoid an altercation from happening. Jeremy has also been a mentor figure for one resident, in particular, who is now taking some of the tough chemistry classes he once took. His fellow staff members have witnessed their relationship first hand, and they can tell that resident really looks up to him.

So far this semester, Jeremy has showed a lot of improvement through his ability to confront students and deal with difficult situations. His creativity shines through his bulletin boards and door decorations for his floor. Most importantly, Jeremy displays an exceptional amount of improvement with his administrative and organizational skills. He is indeed deserving of this award, and we can rest assure that he’s only moving towards the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.