Residence Hall Association Earns Top Awards

During the 2019 North East Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls (NEACURH) Spring Leadership Conference hosted at Northeastern University, the Syracuse University Residence Hall Association (RHA) and its student leaders received numerous awards and recognition for their work to improve the student experience. The University was also chosen as the host for the 2019 Fall NEACURH Leadership Conference.

Among the individual winners were Lily Verbeck ’19, Marquet (Marq) Houston G’19, Nqobile (Nobi) Nyabonda ’22 and BreeAnna (Bee) Poshek ’19. Other students recognized were Griffin Timm ’20 and Sadia Ahmed ’21. These members won first place in the Returning Delegate Case Study and three of the top-ten educational presentations.

Verbeck was named NEACURH RHA President of the Year. This award is voted on by the entire region and given to an RHA president who has gone above and beyond their duties as a student leader in their community. She was also selected as one of the eight regional presidents who are nominated for the National Association of College and University Residence Halls (NACURH) RHA President of the Year. Verbeck is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Whitman School majoring in economics and minoring in finance.

Houston was named NEACURH Advisor of the Year. This award is granted to an RHA or National Residence Hall Honorary advisor who has gone above and beyond in showcasing their dedication to advising. He was also selected one of the eight regional advisors who are nominated for National Advisor of the Year at the NACURH conference in May. Houston is a second-year graduate student in the School of Education.

Nyabonda received the NEACURH First Year Experience Award. This award recognizes a first-year student for their outstanding contributions, leadership potential and academic success. She was also selected as one of the eight regional awardees nominated for the National First Year Experience Award. Nyabonda is a first-year student in the Whitman School majoring in entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises. She serves as the RHA director of programming.

Poshek was honored as a Silver Pin recipient and inductee to the National Association of College and University Residence Halls Advancement Society. This award is the highest honor an individual can earn within the region. Poshek was selected by the NEACURH regional director as one of the students from across the region who has shown incredible dedication and achieved tremendous success within their respective region. Poshek is a senior in the School of Education majoring in post-secondary and human services. She serves as the RHA national communications coordinator.

“While our school was recognized at the Spring Leadership Conference in various ways, I want to highlight the collective effort that the E-Board put into making RHA work to its full potential on this campus and within the region,” says Ahmed, RHA vice president and a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School. “We strive to make RHA home for each and every person and ensure an amazing residential experience.”

In addition to the individual and collective awards won, RHA’s efforts and success ensured its role as host for the 2019 Fall NEACURH Leadership Conference. In preparation for the conference, Timm, RHA co-director of administration and a junior in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, was named the 2019 Fall NEACURH Leadership Conference chair.

“The student leaders of the Residence Hall Association should be proud of their hard work and their advocacy for residential students,” says Terra Peckskamp, senior director of student living. “While I am thrilled at the recognition they have received at the regional level, I am even more excited for them and proud of the impact they have right here on campus.”

For more information on RHA and its leadership, visit the Residence Hall Association website.