August 13, 2019 | UHCL Staff
Hunter Hall, University of Houston-Clear Lake’s first-ever on-campus residence hall, is ready to open Aug. 22. Student Housing and Residential Life Director Matthew Perry said he was looking for a few good men and women to build a fun, diverse team of resident advisers for students ready to transition to living and attending classes on campus.
Get to know Andrew Goodman, a 22-year-old junior history student who is among the seven Hunter Hall resident advisers ready to connect with students starting on move-in day.
Q. Why do you want to be an RA?
Goodman: I had a housing association position at my previous university and I worked closely with the RAs coordinating events for the residents in the dorm. I really like residence hall life and putting events together.
Q. What are you looking forward to most about living in Hunter Hall?
Goodman: It’s a brand new residence hall. I’ve already seen my room. It’s amazing! I think it’s so exciting to be the first ones to live there.
Q. What is one thing you want your residents to know about you?
Goodman: I’m a non-binary person, and I think that allows me to connect with others who are coming out of high school. I’ve been through a lot of stages of questioning myself. I’m here to support people.
Q. What are some things you do when you are not studying?
Goodman: I am a big crafter. I love knitting, crocheting, sewing—anything I can touch. I also want to get into woodworking. I will be working on new pieces to bring to my room. If you come visit me, you’ll see my sewing machine and lots of fabric everywhere in my room. I’ve also got lots of cedar chests for my fabric and my kimono collection. I have six kimonos. I am fascinated with Japanese culture and art history. I’ve studied tea ceremonies and I like to focus on Japan as a history major.
Q: What is a goal you have as an RA for the students on your floor?
Goodman: I’d like everyone to participate in at least one program. It’s hard to get people to get involved sometimes. In my previous residence hall, one of the most popular programs was study nights for the floor. We would just get together and study.
Q: What advice would you give to new students and residents?
Goodman: I was apprehensive about joining clubs at first. In high school, I didn’t have good experiences with that. But in college, we are more mature and we can express our opinions and work things out. So, my best advice to everyone is to get involved. It really can make the difference in your college experience. Even if there isn’t a club that reflects your interest, you can create one. The more you do on campus, the more fun you’ll have. I heard that so many times when I first went to college, and now I see that being involved is the best part of living on campus.
Find out more about Hunter Hall online.
