Meet Katie Wilhelm, an American studies major and dedicated RunDisney athlete who has spent the past three years helping students in every way possible with the Department of Resident Life at UMD. She has been a community assistant, resident assistant, RA ambassador, and teaching assistant for the required class for RAs in addition to the eight hours she spends weekly working in her resident director’s office. She has finished one marathon, six half marathons, and more 5Ks than she can count. Now, in her last month before graduation, Wilhelm reflects on the miles and her experience with ResLife that made her the inspiring leader and runner she is today.
What made you want to get involved with ResLife?
My freshman year, I moved in on a Saturday and I met my RA and she seemed nice and everything. Then that Monday, it was the first day of classes back home and a shooting happened at my high school. Obviously, I was upset about that and she talked to me about it and made sure I was okay. She followed up with me several days for the next couple weeks and I really appreciated that and that made me realize what an RA really is beyond just the policy-enforcement side.
What’s your favorite part about being an RA?
My favorite part about being an RA in general is the residents. I have 36 freshmen and one junior resident, and they’re a very interesting group. They’re very diverse in a lot of ways. Just seeing them grow and get involved on campus throughout their first year has been really rewarding. And I like the bond I get to make with them because they’re people I wouldn’t have met if it weren’t for the position.
Was there a specific time you felt like you made a difference?
One time last year, a resident came to me saying she was concerned about another resident. That showed that she trusted me enough that she would go to me about something like that and the resident of concern was comfortable to talk to me, too. At that point, people had torn down my bulletin boards and had torn down door decorations, and made me question whether I was actually doing my job, and then they came to me and made me realize I was actually doing something right.
How did you get into running?
I didn’t start until college. I had never been into sports—I don’t know how to control a ball still to this day. When I got to college, everyone seemed to be running and I thought, ‘That seems easy enough, might as well start.’ My first 5K was the Race for the Cure in Timonium and I was like, ‘this isn’t too bad. I can definitely do something more.” And then when I was a CA my sophomore year, one of the other CAs actually worked in the Disney college program, so when he was down there he did a lot of RunDisney races. Once he got back from the program, which was all he talked about it. I was like ‘Oh that sounds fun! Running races in Disney World, that combines two of my loves!’
What do you like best about running?
I like how it clears my mind because I just don’t think when I run. I can just focus on the mileage. I don’t like running on a track or a treadmill because I like to visualize the mileage. I really like the visual side…and it’s just fun.
What are your plans for the future?
Going to grad school for student affairs is for working in ResLife or orientation or any other department on campus that helps students outside of the traditional classroom setting. After that, I foresee working in a ResLife department in the future and I guess that’s because that’s where my experience is, but I’m open to branching out.
Any running goals?
I would like to be able to run fast enough to get into the races that you need a qualifying time for, so like Boston or New York or Chicago, the big name marathons, because you need a faster time that I don’t have right now. Eventually working my way up to that.
What will you miss most about UMD after graduating?
Definitely ResLife. Everyone says you have to find your group on campus and all of my close friends, I’ve met through ResLife. There are a lot of people I wouldn’t have met if it weren’t for ResLife. Even just the higher-ups in ResLife are super supportive both in and out of the RA position. It sounds cliché but we’re a big happy family.