Meet New Area Coordinator Michael Opare-Addo

By LAUREN HALLIGAN
News Editor

Meet the newest addition to the Residence Life Staff, Michael Opare-Addo, who joined the team in August, just before the semester’s start. Opare-Addo is area coordinator of Zone 4, which includes 974, 972, 944, 968, 908, and 912 Madison Ave., Centennial Hall, and Morris Hall. A former member of University at Albany’s Residence Life office, he is now area coordinator for 358 Saint Rose campus residents, and is eager to make his mark on the Saint Rose community.

What is your background working in a college setting?

I was an RA for SUNY Albany’s Alumni Quad right down the block from Saint Rose. I started as an RA five years ago. I was an RA there for two and a half years, then I moved as a housing manager in the apartments. Then I became a graduate assistant for the Department of Residential Life, overseeing the wellness center and the game room and supervising the wellness assistants and supervising RAs as well, right back down on Alumni Quad. After that year, I was an assistant apartment coordinator, back at the apartments over the summer. Then this job happened and my supervisor encouraged me to apply. So, I applied and now I’m area coordinator at Saint Rose.

What did you study at UAlbany?

I got my bachelor’s in biology at UAlbany and I m currently working on my master’s in public health at UAlbany. I graduate in May.   

How did you become involved with The College of Saint Rose?

My supervisor saw the position, I told her about it, and she highly encouraged me to apply. She thought it would be a good fit for me. 

What exactly does your job as Area Coordinator entail?

I make sure that the residence halls are kept up to par, I supervise the RAS, my ten RAs that I have and whenever I’m on duty I supervise the RAs that are on duty, attend meetings, run committees. I’m still new so I’m still adjusting to campus life committees. For the in-house committees, I’m in charge of RA selection this year. Basically anything that has to do with any of the residence halls. When RAs have questions they come to me, or the residents come directly to me and we figure it out. Also, if any of the residents violate the policies I serve as the judicial hearing officer, and we go through that process. That’s the downside of the job, but it has to be done.

What are your goals for this year as a new member of the Saint Rose community the Resident Life staff?

To sharpen my professional skills. That is definitely something I want to do. I also want to sharpen my mentorship skills. My style is to mentor my staff. I lead by example. Leadership by example is key. Anything that I ask them to do, I make sure that I apply it to myself.

What are you most looking forward to upon joining the Saint Rose community?

I actually just want to get immersed in the whole Saint Rose community. I didn’t know that this was a very big art school. I did not know that, and I’ve been in Albany right down the block for more than 5 years now. It’s something intriguing. I just bought an acoustic guitar, that’s something I want to learn to play, and it’s a great place to be to learn that. 

What is your best advice to offer to student residents as they come to Saint Rose for the semester?

Always remember why you are here, you’re here for academics first. All other things can come into play afterward- job, hobbies, clubs- those are extremely important, but always keep your academics first, because without that you wouldn’t be here.