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Kristen Wentworth, Dalton State’s first Director of Residential Life
and Judicial Affairs, admits she had a “gut feeling” that she’d
landed the right job when she visited the campus earlier this year.
“When I arrived here, I liked the people I met, and I liked the
town,” says Wentworth, a New Hampshire native.
“I think the main draw for me to take this job was that I knew I’d
be able to work with a program that is new – that I’d be at the
beginning of something really exciting. It’s great to be a part of
an institution that has so much change going on.”
Dalton State’s first residence hall students will arrive on
Saturday, August 15, two days before the start of fall semester
classes. Living in what was once the Wood Valley Apartment complex,
these students, the first residents of Wood Valley at DSC, will be
just a few minutes walk from most classroom buildings on campus. And
Wentworth, whose permanent living space is one of the units, plans
to be there to greet them.
“We expect to have a cookout or a welcome picnic during that first
weekend,” says Wentworth, noting that five Resident Assistants
(RAs), who are current juniors or seniors, will be assisting
students with the move in as well.
“The RAs are very excited about the social events – they’ll be a
very important part of residence life. We want this to be more than
just a place for students to live. It’s important to get them
connected to the institution from the beginning. Research shows that
students are more successful when they become involved with campus
life.” |
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Wentworth knows firsthand how important the feeling of being
connected on campus is to the success of a typical college student.
“I took about two years off between high school and college, working
odd jobs in New Hampshire, until I realized that I really wanted the
traditional college experience. I had traveled some out west, and I
really liked it, so I enrolled at Colorado State University,” she
recalls.
“But it proved to be a difficult transition for me. The hall
director was very influential, and he helped me adjust to college
life. As time went on, I continued to meet more people who were
working in the field of Student Affairs, and I recognized that this
was definitely something I wanted to do.”
The 33 year-old graduated from Colorado State University, where she
earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development and Family
Studies, and then enrolled at Penn State University where she earned
a master’s degree in Higher Education. She spent three years at Iowa
State University completing coursework toward her doctorate.
At each of her alma maters, Wentworth has worked in some capacity in
residence life: as a Residence Assistant, a Hall Director, and a
Coordinator for Residence Life. She’s led student orientation
groups, assisted with first-year-experience programming, and managed
residential facilities.
Those experiences, she says, have helped prepare her for the
challenge of being on the ground floor of a new venture.
“Dalton State has so many great things going on, with residence life
being a big plus. I’m proud to be here working with a program that
is new and just at the beginning stage.
While Wentworth’s position will eventually include recruiting
students to live in the 244-bed facility, initially her focus will
be on working with the RAs to welcome students to the apartments.
“We’ll spend a good deal of our time helping traditional students develop
the skills they need to be positive and contributing members of the
apartment and campus community,” she says, noting that some will
need help with time management issues, some will need to learn how
to do laundry, and some will need help learning to cook.
“But our main goal is to help them learn how to develop into
successful stable adults.”
Residential Life at a Glance
Students who live in the Wood Valley at DSC residence halls:
- Pay a fee each semester to live in the apartment-style units –
students who are enrolled in fall, spring, and summer semesters may
live in the dorms year-round
- Must be enrolled in a minimum of nine credit hours per semester
- Receive basic cable, internet service, and utilities in their
semester fee
- Have access to laundry facilities on site
- Must abide by the tobacco free and alcohol free policies of Dalton
State College
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