Life of a CA

The person who oversees a floor in dorms at most colleges are called a Residence Assistant, RA for short. But here at Bloomsburg University they are known as the community assistants, CAs. No, Bloomsburg didn’t just want to be different from most colleges, they want to express the importance of a CA. Community Assistants have a great importance in residence life. They aren’t just involved in the different halls. They are involved in the Bloomsburg community, hence the name.  

Information for the week, done by a CA

Briahna Heintzelman, a first year CA at Columbia loves what she does. “Coming in to Bloomsburg last year as a freshman, I never expected to be this involved, but I really do enjoy it,” said Briahna. Community assistants have many jobs. At desk they keep an eye on those coming in and going out of the building, keeping the residents safe. Some other jobs include room checks, safe building events, and they also hang up the many decorations throughout the halls.  CAs also keep the residents informed on the events happening each week on campus.  “We as CAs do have a lot of jobs. I am on desk on Wednesdays and every other weekend, and we have meetings every Tuesday,” said Briahna.

This tough job does come with a few plusses. A community assistant has free room, and receives minimum wage. They live in a normal sized dorm room without having to share it. Briahna has the same furniture that's included for any other dorm room. She gets to have double beds, and more storage space. Briahna made her second bed into a couch, perfect for friends and residents to hang out.

“I decided I wanted to become a CA my freshman year, because of how my CA was. She never reached out to any of the residents on the floor. She wasn’t really involved. I knew I could be better than that. I want to know all my residents, and I want them to know me. I do think that the best thing of being a CA is meeting new people, freshmen and other CAs. Of the 16 community assistants in Columbia Hall, I consider all of them my friends."

Unfortunately community assistants do have to face difficult jobs. “The hardest thing of being a CA is getting people in trouble and correcting them.” Briahna who reaches at just about 5”5, short dark hair, and always has a smile on her face, sometimes it can be hard for her to correct the freshman. “I want to be friends with the residents, but when something bad goes on I know when I have to step in and get serious.”  Late hours can be common for CAs, especially on the weekends, so some might find this to be challenging. “I have never been a night owl, but it has gotten easier to stay up later in order to keep an eye on my residents.” When asked what was the worse thing she ever had to do as a CA, Briahna answered, "Someone threw up on another floor, and of course I was on call so it was my job to clean it up."

Briahna Heintzelman

Briahna's door

“After I decided to become a CA I had to go through the interview process. First there was the interest meeting, then the application process, we also had to write a creative portion about yourself. I really enjoyed this because I enjoy music and play different instruments. For my creative portion I drew out music notes and attached pictures of me and my hobbies and interests. We then had to go in team processing, and finally group interviews. A few days after that I received the exciting news that I was going to become a CA,” explained Briahna.

Briahna expressed how becoming a CA has changed her life. “I came to Bloomsburg majoring in American Sign Language Interpreting. A few months of being a community assistant, I realized that I want to go into communications. After Bloomsburg, I plan on going to graduate school for student affairs." 

It can be hard for freshman going to any college and getting used to living away from home. Community Assistants help make this transition easier. They welcome the freshman with open arms and will always be there to lend a helping hand. Briahna has made the fourth floor of Columbia feel like a home to twenty – four girls. From decorating the halls to have a brighter feel and to befriending all of them. 

Fourth floor of Columbia Hall