Empathy and Leadership: The RA Experience at KCAI Shared at Regional Conference
03.24.2025
KCAI’s Resident Assistants recently represented the school at the 34th Annual RA Conference at the University of Northern Iowa, where they networked with staff from 30 institutions, attended educational sessions, and co-presented a session on roommate mediations.
The Kansas City Art Institute is dedicated to equipping its housing team with the latest strategies and best practices for fostering a positive living environment for students, which is why they actively participate in events like these.
The 34th Annual RA Conference was a one-day event where KCAI RAs networked with hundreds of other RAs and resident directors from various institutions. They attended four different sessions, each led by either resident directors or other RAs. Donnie Rice (Senior, Illustration) found a session on creating cohesive, well-thought-out programs for large groups of students particularly interesting.
A part of an RA’s position at KCAI is organizing monthly events such as bingo nights, movie screenings, and smaller floor activities like bracelet making and providing study snacks.
“I really love doing those events because they give me a more personal opportunity to connect with the students. As an RA, I think it's important to balance being a person of authority and care with being someone who is also friendly and approachable. I want to create a space where students can just talk about what's going on at school and receive advice from someone who's older and has experienced it themselves,” Rice said.
Image: RA-coordinated Chalk Event
Rice, along with fellow RA Allyson Carter (Junior, Illustration), also co-presented an educational session on roommate mediation. KCAI has since received highly positive feedback from attendees, including professional resident directors from other schools.
Carter notes that incoming student artists often tend to be very particular about their space, especially when they’re living on their own for the first time. “They’re figuring out who they want to be and how they want to live. It's a very real stereotype that artists can have strong personalities,” Carter said.
Here is one example: A student might be particularly hard-headed about a specific issue with their roommate and feel they don't need to make any effort to resolve the situation. KCAI RAs shared strategies to address this, including reminding students that while it’s great to be confident in what you want, it’s also important to be empathetic.
“The people around you are integral to your experience and can influence your feelings just as much as you do. I find that reminding students that the happiness of those around them can positively impact their own mental health is something they appreciate,” Carter said.
What Makes A Good RA
Rice explains that the Barbara Marshall Residence Hall welcomes a new group of freshmen each year. As new students move into the space, RAs are faced with a constant mix of personalities—mostly positive, but there are times when mediation is necessary.
“You don’t always know someone’s background, such as whether they’ve had experience living with others before. I believe mediation is about understanding each person as an individual,” Rice said. “It’s really exciting for me to help others understand this because I enjoy teaching people how to communicate, especially in stressful situations, and to be considerate of everyone’s circumstances.”
“I believe that’s what makes a good RA,” Rice added.
Image: Donnie Rice, Headshot
I want to create a space where students can just talk about what's going on at school and receive advice from someone who's older and has experienced it themselves.
RA Squad Goals
When assembling KCAI’s team of RAs, Nick Greenway, the Assistant Director of Housing & Student Activities, prioritizes qualities such as self-sufficiency, strong coordination skills, and the ability to empathize—valuing candidates who can relate to the challenges of freshmen transitioning to college life. A key part of the RA role is helping students navigate their new environment with empathy, providing support as they adjust to the college experience.
Regarding programming, Greenway sets the pace for larger initiatives by managing logistics and assisting with long-term planning. However, much of the work is done independently by the RAs, who receive a list of expectations at the beginning of the year, month, or week. They are responsible for organizing and executing events, such as the monthly large-scale programs, with minimal oversight from Greenway.
That’s why he sees networking as a crucial aspect of the RA experience. By engaging with other RAs and learning about their approaches, the team can identify potential improvements for their own programs.
“On our drive back from the conference, the RAs spent four hours discussing new approaches to programming and brainstorming ideas for move-in orientation sessions,” Greenway said. “It’s a rare opportunity to connect with fellow RAs who understand the challenges we face, and it’s invaluable to share each other’s strengths and weaknesses."
Creative Leadership
At KCAI, creativity extends beyond the classroom and into the residence hall, where students often go above and beyond with their floor decorations and in-room creative projects. The RAs play a key role in ensuring students have opportunities for self-expression outside of their coursework by organizing art-related events and craft-making activities. These initiatives allow students to relax and recharge in a creative environment.
Given the emphasis on creativity and leadership, the RA roles at KCAI are highly sought after and competitive, with dozens of students applying each year. The selection process is rigorous, requiring applicants to demonstrate strong leadership skills and the ability to thrive in a role that demands both independence and teamwork.
The recent conference also highlighted the differences between other institutions and an art school like the Kansas City Art Institute. For example, during their presentation, KCAI RAs were able to showcase their unique design skills while conveying their responsibilities as leaders.
“It can be nerve-wracking at first, especially as an art student, because people often have preconceived notions about students in the arts,” Rice said. “Different people at the conference had different priorities, but for me, my priority is ensuring that students feel safe here and can connect with other artists.”
Carter added, “Hearing from people at other schools with different systems is really valuable. It makes me feel lucky to work with a smaller, more intimate group of students because I feel I can better handle their issues. I learn from those who deal with similar situations on a larger scale, and it helps me improve my approach.”
RAs who attended the conference include Allyson Carter, Olivia Helms, Brenna Jean-Paul, Kenli Mobisa, Donnie Rice, Leo Trevino, and Bethany Van Roekel.
Image: RA-coordinated Halloween Event