Katie Cannella, Carrollton Hall area director and Residence Hall Association adviser, was thrilled to see the crowd of students who came to Loyola’s Residence Hall Association’s first general assembly meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 18.
She said she was almost brought to tears.
“When you all entered the room I started crying a little bit. In all seriousness, I’m really happy you all are here,” Cannella said.
One of the first things read at the association’s meeting was the mission statement by Daniel O’Keefe, general studies business freshman and RHA vice president.
“The primary purpose of the Loyola University New Orleans Residential Hall Association is to plan, finance and coordinate campus-wide and hall specific activities,” O’Keefe said.
According to the organization mission, changes were made to the association including elimination of the Residential Hall councils and replacing them with committees led by students. The new committees are comprised of student representatives from each residence hall.
The Residential Representatives committee, led by O’Keefe, will act as the bridge between the association and the residents.
The Programming Committee, led by Sammy Ybarzabal, psychology sophomore, will provide residents opportunities to get involved through programming.
Ybarzabal also spearheads the Service and Advocacy committee. The team will get students into the city through service work projects.
The Recognition Committee, led by TroyThayer, biology junior, will recognize the success of the students.
“The committees offer students more opportunities to have greater impact on the residential halls and RHA as a whole,” Lauren Patton, association president, theatre communications senior and Maroon staff writer, said.
Cannella said she has high hopes for the association and its new committees.
Cannella said that this year’s group is the most organized and motivated group that she has worked with and she feels that the new committees will be part of something incredible.
Raquel Derganz Baker can be reached at [email protected]
