Home / Residence Life / Hall Staff & Leadership / Apply to Be an RA

RA Application Process

To apply for a resident assistant position, you must complete the online application linked below, or on Engage.

Please note: In addition to completing an application for the RA position, you must also apply for on-campus housing at https://up.erezlife.com. RA decisions are sent out before housing selection takes place. If you are not selected as an RA, there is no penalty if you choose to not attend housing selection.

To learn more about the Resident Assistant role, plan on attending an information session in the hall where you hope to serve:

Christie Hall: Thursday, December 5 at 9:00 p.m. in the Christie basement
Corrado Hall: Tuesday, December 3 at 8:00 p.m. in Brenagh Sanford's apartment, and January 13 at 8:00 p.m. in Brenagh's apartment
Fields Hall: Sunday, December 8 at 9:30 p.m. in Gena McGowan's apartment, and Monday, January 13 at 8:30 p.m. in Gena's apartment
Haggerty & Tyson Halls: Tuesday, January 14th at 9:00 p.m. at the Anchor
Kenna Hall: Tuesday, November 19 from 7-8pm, and a leadership info night on 11/21 from 7-8pm
Lund Family Hall: Wednesday, January 15 at 8:00 p.m. in the main lobby
Mehling Hall: Tuesday, January 14 at 8:00 p.m. in the Mehling Ballroom
Schoenfeldt Hall: Thursday, December 5 in James Peña's apartment at 10:00 p.m.
Shipstad Hall: Monday, November 25 at 8:30 p.m. in Shipstad's first floor lobby
Villa Maria Hall: Monday, December 2 from 9:30-10:00 p.m. in the Villa Lobby and Thursday, January 9 from 9:30-10:00 p.m. in the Villa Lobby

You will need to write a short essay as part of this application. We suggest that you work on this elsewhere and then copy and paste your response into the application.

New RA essay prompt: UP’s mission is guided by the following core themes: teaching & learning, faith & formation, service & leadership. How does the mission at University of Portland shape our experience? Please also share an example of how you’ve experiences one of these themes within the UP community.
Returning RA essay prompt: Please describe a challenge you faced as a first-year RA. How have you grown and how would you apply what you've learned as a returner? What other areas are you seeking to grow in as an RA? What motivates you to re-apply? What would you bring to the position as a returning RA? How would you maintain your excitement for this position?

As part of your application, you will be prompted to:

Upload a PDF version of your resume and a cover letter.
New applicants must provide the names and contact information of 2 references from within the UP community that are not your residence hall staff members

RA Class and Leader Certificate

All new RAs are required to enroll in a 1-credit Pass/No Pass course titled LDR 375 - Residential Learning and Leadership, which will complement your RA training, reflection, and formation. This course is offered for Fall semester; there is no program fee for this course.

The Leader Certificate Program: The RA position aligns with the Leader Certificate. Through instruction, practice, and reflection over the course of 2-3 years, participants of the Leader Certificate Program are awarded a certificate upon graduation. The RA experience is a potential pathway to earning a Leader Certificate. We encourage interested students to enroll in LDR 225 - Applied Leadership, but it is not required for employment consideration.

How to Apply

Access the 2020-21 Application to be a Resident Assistant under Residence Life in ENGAGE under the "Forms" tab starting on December 1, 2019.

Applications are due January 17, 2020 by noon. If you encounter any difficulties in submitting any application materials, please contact the Office of Residence Life at (503) 943-7205 or reslife@up.edu.