Understand Our Community Director

Understanding Our Community Director

Upon entering Avocet Hall, there are about 8 students, 2 Residential Advisors and Alex Froehlich. Alex Froehlich is the North Quad Campus Director. She is a graduate of the University of Pacific. It is her job as Community Director; to maintain a safe environment as well as make sure students are obeying the housing standards. Her job is not to solely punish and uphold standards but to also meet with Residential Advisors and students and think of events that will make a wide group of students will like. This job of being Campus Director holds much responsibility, as well as, much stress this become more evident as the night continued. However, one must truly know her background to establish a full view.

Alex Froehlich graduated from the University of the Pacific. She is in her late twenties. Her hobbies include going to the beach, when it is sunny, eating out and catching a good comedy. When speaking to Alex about her job, she seemed stressed and even slightly sad that her time during the pleasant weather days are spent in a closed office reporting conduct, having meetings, and taking care of daily problems that occur within the campus living in North Quad. However, it is certain nights, when events occur, that she feels students are able to see the positive side of what she does, rather than just disciplinary issues.

Eight to nine on Monday the 18^th inside of 303, Vineyard suites, Alex and a few of the Residential advisors to put on a Origami Night. An invitation sent over email, “It seems that email is the best way to reach everyone,” describes Alex.

Entering into Vineyard suites there are some decorations premade for the event, which consisted mostly of cranes and origami boxes. Alex was sitting at a table with a notebook and some origami paper, which showed that she came straight from working to the event. There were kids passing in and out and as some would stay one could tell that she was pleased. It kept a consistency of eight to fifteen students working at a time. While present at the Origami night though, Alex’s attention was not drawn to making paper creations but several interruptions. Alex leaves the main lobby to speak on the phone, then returns slightly flustered as well as looking less happy with things. There are still students and Residential advisors working, however, one advisor asks Alex to leave early for homework in which Alex approves of her departure. She described how the number of people present was containable by herself as well as another RA. This statement was presented in not an angry tone, but slight disappointed one it seemed because of the attendance. It is understandable as a viewer to see why Alex could be disappointed in getting a whole bunch of materials and Residential Advisors to come out to an event and there is not a strong turn out. It comes close for the ending time of the event, yet Alex receives another call and must step out of the room. One can see that being Community Director is a difficult job. Then a murmur between Residential Advisors occurred while Alex was out of the room describing how she seems stressed and busier since Juan, the other Community director for North Quad, left. Alex returns to the room and asks if the Residential Advisors are able to end the event for her because she is needed.

By the end of the event the number of the crowd dwindles to five. I caught up with Alex later to see how the rest of her night went. When talking to her, it was noticeable that it was not her disappointment in the turnout of the event, but rater the course of events that occurred throughout that night. Alex described how even when things should go easy and be smooth, there is always something that throws a wrench into plans. When trying to bring up her new duties, after replacing Juan, she seemed unwilling to discuss this. Perhaps it could be too soon to talk about it, but she made it seem mostly out of respect not to discuss Juan. She did describe, however, that her workload doubled, and she does not have much help with the addition of her new tasks.

Alex is an interesting woman, whom plays a major role on the campus. Throughout following her one cannot help but see how much work she puts in and how little it goes noticed. With taking on more work and trying to still know her residents, Alex subjects her self to a stressful environment yet she describes, “ I wouldn’t trade it.”