By Ashley Sweet
Advertising Manager
The Resident Life’s staff welcomed a new face this fall when Alicia Lewis, 24, became one of Saint Rose’s new area coordinators. Originally from Scotia, New York, Lewis is now part of Zone 3, made up of Lima Hall, 188 and 210 Partridge, Kelly Hall, Kateri Hall, Collins Hall, and Maginn Hall.
Her responsibilities include training student resident assistants, facilitating roommate mediation, attending conduct hearings, and being part of committee meetings for things such as Family Weekend or Reach Out Saint Rose. Lewis reports to Jen Richardson and Joseph Pryba, director an assistant director of resident’s life, as well as Rita McLaughlin, student conduct coordinator.
“No two days are the same and that’s what I love about it,” Lewis said.
Lewis comes to campus from her previous position as Graduate Assistant of Event Staff for the Office of Student Involvement at the University of Albany. There she managed a small staff that provided event planning and security for student run events such fashion shows, concerts and step competitions.
She was looking for a way to expand and better her abilities in serving the student body and the close knit campus at Saint Rose was a good place to start.
“I thought that starting my career here would really allow me the chance to get to know the students on a more personal level, and really understand their needs and how I could better serve them.,” Lewis said. Which she expressed in her day long interview for the position where she met with various members of resident’s life staff. She was happy to report that she knows she did something right during that long day.
Lewis has become part of the Saint Rose family very quickly, and said that she enjoys being able to have a conversation with students and coworkers every few steps as she makes her way across campus each day.
“Her positivity and genuine car for the students has already been so apparent in her first couple of weeks here. I’m confident she’s going to succeed as an area coordinator,” said Aideen Hanlon, junior and resident assistant in Zone 4, and on the Development Committee with Lewis.
The resident assistants who have worked with Lewis say that they are happy and she is getting them motivated and excited about the fall semester.
“She adds a lot of positive energy to our staff. She could get us pumped to do paperwork,” Ana Saccoman, sophomore and resident assistant in Zone 1, said.
She takes every experience as a opportunity to ask herself and others questions in her work to become more versed and well-rounded in her position.
“I look to my fellow area coordinators a lot to learn how I can better myself. Julianna Hart has been a big inspiration to me, and has taught me a lot about how I want to be as a professional. I haven’t told her that yet, but if you read this Jules now you know,” Lewis said as she explained how this first year’s goal was to learn as much as possible.
Before working at Saint Rose, Lewis attended Syracuse University for her Bachelor’s in Business Management and received her Master’s of Social Work at the University of Albany.
Outside of being an area coordinator, Lewis enjoys being settled into a big comfy couch at the local bookstore with a good book. If not that, she says she is very competitive and mentioned cheering for the various teams from her hometown and universities. She is also proud of having an older brother and younger sister and not suffering from “middle child syndrome” and saying instead that her family is very important part of what keeps her grounded.
Lewis has a positive outlook on what her future at Saint Rose holds. She looks forward to building relationships as well as herself during this essential step in her career.
“I want students to know that they can drop on by any time they want to say hello, if they’re having a bad day and need someone to talk to, or if they just want to shoot the breeze and eat my candy,” Lewis said.
