Preparing for Life After College: The Career Skills Learned by Resident Assistant Alumni

Abstract

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), there is a high value placed on college graduates who acquire skills that can be utilized to attain their professional goals (2015). On college campuses, the resident assistant (RA) role is one of the many opportunities the residence life department has that can help develop students and their career readiness (Peck, 2017). There is a lack of research looking at what transferable skills students in the resident assistant position acquire and then use in their careers post-graduation. This qualitative study utilized semi-structured interviews to explore what skills former RAs learned in the position that they now utilize. The research showed that the former RAs learned skills that are not only transferable to any job, but also competencies that they did not anticipate translating into their careers after college.

Date of Award	2021
Original language	American English
Awarding Institution	Eastern Illinois University
Supervisor	Jon K. Coleman (Supervisor)