Campus Celeb: Kaitlyn Fitzgerald

When asked for a fun fact, this campus celebrity told us that she once took a selfie with Luke Bryan. Her humorous and positive attitude brightens the day of everyone around her. In her most recent endeavor, Kaitlyn Fitzgerald has accepted one of the most time-consuming, immersive, and rewarding jobs on campus – being a resident assistant! Our RAs at Xavier are top notch, and sometimes they don’t recieve all the credit they deserve. It’s hard work, but making students comfortable and happy is one of the most important jobs on campus. 

Campus Celebrity: Kaitlyn Fitzgerald  

Year: Junior

Hometown: Phoenix, AZ

Major: Management 

Activities on campus: Business Leaders for Tomorrow, Relay for Life, Student Wellness Advocacy Group, GSC Welcome Desk Worker

What made you want to be a resident assistant? 

I really loved my RA freshman year as well as my hall. Both had a huge impact on me and my college experience so I wanted to be able to do that for other students. 

What was the application process like? 

We had to fill out an application that included recommendations and essays, as well as a personal piece, like a collage, to represent ourselves. After that, we did group interviews that every person applying for the position attended. During the interviews, we were divided into smaller groups and asked to complete certain tasks with our small group while returning RAs and hall directors took notes and observed us. If we passed the group interview, we had an individual interview with a hall director and two returning RAs. After that, Residence Life made their decisions. 

What is your favorite part about being an RA? Why?

I love getting to know residents and becoming friends with them. It’s nice to be close to them and hear them tell you they appreciate what you’re doing or that they enjoy talking to you.

What is your least favorite part about being an RA? Why?

The duty phone. When we are on duty, we have to keep the duty phone with us from 8pm-8am in case any resident needs assistance, so we can get woken up at any time. 

What’s the craziest thing you’ve had to do while on duty? 

Luckily, my duty nights haven’t been too crazy, but let’s just say there have been times when people seemed to forget where the toilet is. 

Would you recommend being an RA? Advice for anyone thinking they might want to be an RA in the future? 

Yes, definitely! I am in the Commons, so being an RA in the apartments is a very different experience than the residence halls because we have a lot more residents and they have all been at Xavier for at least a year. You would want to take that into consideration and think about what kind of experience you want. You also need to manage your time well because you constantly have due dates for programs and things like that. You also don’t get work done like you think you will when you’re on duty. It’s very manageable though, and everyone in Residence Life is there to support you. 

Things you do outside of school/campus? 

I like to eat a lot, watch Netflix and go to concerts.