Meet Area Coordinator Marinel Martinez

By LAUREN HALLIGAN
News Editor

To anyone who follows @StRoseResLife on Twitter, it’s no surprise to hear that the Resident Life staff has been growing, but who exactly are these new kids on the block?

One new addition, Marinel Martinez, hopped on board this July as an Area Coordinator and is eager to join the Saint Rose community. A UAlbany grad originally hailing from Brooklyn, she is now happy to be overseeing 11 halls on the Saint Rose campus: Alumni Hall, Lourdes Hall, McCormick Hall, Hahn Hall, Cullen Hall, Delaney Hall, Charter Hall, Fontbonne Hall, and Riley, Carondelet

and Cavanaugh Halls.

What is your background working in a college setting?

I got my Bachelors and Masters at SUNY Albany. My Bachelors is in Spanish Education. My Masters is in Education Administration and Policy Studies, with a concentration in Higher Education. So, yes, this is the field I am deeply passionate about.

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

I have studied in the area and always passed by here. I really wanted to work here because of the close campus community and the experience of working at a small private institution.

What exactly does your job as Area Coordinator entail?

I feel like everyone that works for Residence Life anywhere wears many hats. I am a supervisor for Zone 1 which includes Alumni Hall and RCC. I help implement programming. I oversee the Social Media and Marketing Committee for the department. I also am involved in the Reach Out Saint Rose, Family Weekend, and ILead committees. I have recently submitted an application to be a mentor for the ALANA program, which I am really excited for.

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

I hope to mentor and transform students within our campus community while helping them get involved.

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

I am really looking forward to seeing what this campus has to offer. I want to get involved in a lot and work hard to make this place a second home for our students. I am very excited to meet new people and get to know my amazing staff of Zone 1. I also want to learn about the functions and operations of the institution.

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

The best advice I truly have to offer any type of student is to GET INVOLVED! Student engagement in the campus and community is highly important in their success at the college level.  This is my main goal because as an undergraduate this was something that got me through college. It kept me in love with my campus community, passionate about my hobbies and interests, and sort of formed my future in the field. This is something in which I want to instill in the students I see: to get out there, be creative and get involved in anything, whether its clubs, organizations, community service, sports or spiritual life. Investing their time in the campus or community is rewarding and will keep students retained.

What are some of your other hobbies/interests outside of work?

Outside of work I love to listen to music and dance. As an undergraduate I was a performer for the salsa and tango clubs. I also love participating in community services, which I do a lot of since I am still an active member of my sorority.