Fresno State University Courtyard Residential Life is a featured program.
At Fresno State it is our desire that students who live on campus are engaged in developing as leaders in our community, as well as the larger global community.
The theoretical foundation of our leadership development at University Courtyard involves three models:
- Relational Leadership Model
- Social Change Model
- Sanford’s Challenge and Support Model
We engage with leadership in our community in the following ways:
Residence Halls Association: Our premier opportunity for students to learn about and engage in leadership within our community. RHA is the voice of the students. They plan activities and programs and collaborate with campus leadership groups.
Recreation Administration 70 Class (Leadership in Residential Life and Student Involvement): Two sections of this course are taught each spring semester. It is a prerequisite for residential life positions, but can also be taken by any student on campus. Originally a temporary course, we worked through the curriculum committee to make this a permanent course within the Recreation Administration department.
Partnership with the Student Involvement Office
- At summer orientation, students fill out an involvement survey. When they check into housing, they have a letter waiting for them giving them specific clubs and organizations they can get involved with, including at minimum of one club or organization directly related to housing.
- Support for the Fresno State Co-Curricular Leadership Certificate: A three-hour version of the RA 70 class is one of the pre-requisites for receiving the certificate in leadership from Fresno State.
- Vintage Days – annual major event where all campus groups come together for a three day carnival/fair.
- Emerging Leaders retreat – support for students attending these yearly retreats for emerging leaders at Fresno State
- Finals Cram Jam – support for end of the semester coffee/fruit/food break where we give away scantrons and pencils, along with food for students on their way to finals.
Additional Opportunities for Leadership Within the Residential Community
Each of these presents opportunities to provide residents with a way to gain leadership and programming skills by being paired with Residential Life staff to plan events each semester.
- Diversity Committee
- Wellness Committee
- Drug and Alcohol Committee
- Academic Success Committee
- UC BEST (University Courtyard Bulldog Energy Sustainability Team)
Service Learning Opportunities
- Examples: Kid’s Day, Blood Drives, Bulldog Pantry, Pumpkinfest.
Engaging our residents as citizens of the world, we participate in the Million Hour Community Service challenge to get students, faculty, and staff to donate a Million collective hours towards community service. By participating in these events, we engage our students with serving the community around them.