This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Smith chapter.
Name: Theresa MeyerYear: Sophomore/Class of 2017House: WilsonMajor: Government Major, Public Policy MinorHometown: Montclair, New Jersey
An HCA’s Responsibilities:An HCA has a ton of responsibilities, from making sure that everyone in the house is safe after a night out, to organizing events in the house. Mostly though, we’re just in charge of making sure that the house is a happy and healthy place for everyone.Favorite Part:I was pretty much in charge of the first years the first semester, and my favorite part of the job has been watching my first years grow from being nervous on move-in day to comfortable and self-assured!Least Favorite Part:I think anyone on Res Life will tell you that the least pleasant part of the job is enforcing policy. Nobody really looks forward to writing up their housemates, but it’s a necessary part of the job. And hey, somebody has to do it.How I decided to be an HCA:I decided that I wanted to be an HCA in the beginning of my first year. It was important to me to have a job on campus, and working on Res Life makes interacting with people and forming new relationships my job. I really think it’s the most rewarding job on campus- I get to be the person that people go to when they’re having a hard time, and I get to support my house community!Extracurriculars:I do a bunch of things around campus. In addition to Res Life, I really like to do political work on campus, and I’m involved with the Smith Republicans and Democrats. I’m also involved with the Smith Debate Society, and I’m on the board of the Smith Pre-Law Society. When I’m not doing any of that, I’m usually working out at the gym or in the Campus Center buying extra-large coffees. :)How I picked Smith:My mom was the first person who told me about Smith- it was a school she wanted to go to when she was an undergraduate. I loved the school immediately after touring, but what really sold me was being able to sit in on a class- I went to a big public high school, and it felt amazing to be in a tiny, all-women class where I really felt like my voice was heard. I only ended up applying to one school- and I’m so happy I did!Future plans:I’m so excited to start my career! I really want to go into political strategy or lobbying after graduation (I’m working at a strategy firm this summer) but my dream is to go into politics, and run for Congress or Senate one day. It’s a little ambitious, but why not? Smithies can do anything!