Wade Hensley, finance sophomore at the University of Oklahoma, is aware of the expenses that come with wanting to receive and education. The reality of these expenses caused Hensley to take action towards the end of his freshman year and find a way he could earn a little extra cash to help lower his tuition costs.
Hensley’s answer came from his residential adviser during his freshman year at OU. With the guidance of his R.A, Hensley became a residential adviser for the 2010-2011 school year.
“The application process wasn’t very difficult,” Hensley said. “When I realized I got the position I was ecstatic and saw it as an opportunity to meet new people, become more in tune with campus, help alleviate the cost of getting my education.”
Receiving free room and board along with a monthly stipend are just a few of the perks of being a residential adviser that has helped lower Hensley’s tuition bill.
“Being a student from Texas and having to deal with paying the higher price of out of state tuition, this helps tremendously,” Hensley said.
Hensley encourages other students like him to look into something like becoming a residential adviser or some form of a work-study program where a student can take on an on-campus job and in return have some of their tuition or other related expense of college paid for.
Other than the financial perks being a residential adviser can offer, Hensley likes the fact that he is able to help out the freshman on his floor, become a family unit with the other advisers, and that his job does not interfere with his primary obligation of being a student.
“Being an R.A doesn’t really affect my studies,” Hensley said. “They always tell us that we are students first and employees second, so they really do care about our success as students here. The routines and responsibilities that are expected of me are not too different from a student that isn’t an R.A. I’m basically getting paid for just being a student and socializing with other students.”
While the financial relief Hensley’s job can offer is nice, the most rewarding part is the social and professional experiences he has already had during his first year of being a residential adviser at the university.
“For me, this job isn’t all about the financial benefits I can reap from it,” Hensley said. “I have made many friends through this job and have had several networking opportunities that can help me in the future once I graduate. Anyone who might suffer from low emotional health levels because of financial problems should consider a job like this. Not only can it help with their financial problems, but it could possibly help them become more social and active members on their campus. By being in a job like this you become a family and have a support system that can get you through any stressful time. Your whole college experience can improve and you can become a much happier person.”
WATCH Wade Hensley's Interview on being a Residential Adviser:
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