Resident Advisors Ready for Next Step

Now in their final week as undergraduates, ECU seniors Jodi McDougal and Carey Stancil are looking ahead to the next step toward respective careers in residence life.

McDougal, a communications major from Durham, and Stancil, a political science major hailing from Elizabeth City, will leave ECU with a combined six years’ experience as resident advisors. McDougal served at College Hill Suites a year ago before moving to Jones this fall; Stancil held the post at Cotten and Scott Halls before spending his final two years at Clement Hall.

Next fall, McDougal will attend the University of Central Arkansas as a graduate student in its college student personnel administration program. While pursuing her master’s degree, she will also serve as a resident coordinator.

Stancil, who worked as an orientation aide throughout his time at ECU, has been accepted into the higher education leadership M.Ed. program at Oakland University in Rochester Hills, Michigan, where he will also work as a graduate residence director beginning this summer.

Having decided to pursue a career in residence life, both students attended this winter’s 40th annual Oshkosh Placement Exchange at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, where they earned the opportunity to interview for graduate positions at institutions throughout the country.

“As a communications major, I like working with people. After working with the Campus Living staff and other RAs last summer, I decided I could see myself doing this as a career,” McDougal said.

“I’ve been working in a student affairs role for four years, three years as an orientation aide and then last year summer as one of the orientation professional staff,” Stancil said. “Those experiences cemented by decision to pursue a career in student affairs.”

To learn more about becoming a resident advisor at ECU, visit: https://housing.ecu.edu/employment/