In this Q&A, Katie Horowitz, director of Residential Life and assistant dean for student engagement, and Dion Crommarty, assistant director of Residential Life, answer a few questions about their work in and the many new opportunities they are creating for students to connect, learn and thrive.
Q: How do you try to innovate?
Dion: It鈥檚 always about being willing to set the foundation to try new things.鈥疻e are working to get students鈥� feedback. If something doesn鈥檛 work, we are prepared to regroup and try something else.鈥���&苍产蝉辫;
Katie: Everything is new this year, from our new staff teams to our new housing, new dining options and new events.鈥疻e are going big with our programming.鈥疻e are trying new things, and it is exciting and scary.鈥疻e are always looking at national trends and keeping our ideas fresh.鈥���&苍产蝉辫;
We are kicking off the school year with Welcome Week, Sept. 25-Oct. 1. Students move in on Monday and some will participate in Convocation on Tuesday. Wednesday night we are putting an arcade in the Campus Library and a laser light show on the Plaza.鈥疶hen on Friday, we are producing our largest event and going until midnight: ARC After Dark is all about fun, connection and celebration with a glow-in-the-dark theme.
We are creating reasons for students to stay on campus into the evenings and weekends.鈥疭tudents are going to have so many activities this Welcome Week!鈥�&苍产蝉辫;
Q: What is the core of your work?鈥�&苍产蝉辫;
Dion: I am student-first. Student advocacy and student voice are most important. If students aren鈥檛 happy, then I鈥檓 not happy.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;
Katie: Creating opportunities for students to connect, learn and thrive.鈥疘 want them to feel like they belong at UW Bothell.鈥疌ollege should be a transformative experience 鈥� while also fun! (Dion says 鈥淒itto!鈥�)
One way we do that in Residential Life is through quarterly Husky Chats.鈥疉ll residents meet with their resident advisers (RAs) to connect about specific topics at least once a quarter.鈥疢entoring and supporting students is the foundation of our community.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;
We’re also laying the groundwork for our Residential Hall Association council this year, aiming to give a voice to all residential students on campus. Right now, we’re starting off as an informal group, but we’re planning to be official by the 2024 autumn quarter. Along the way, we’re really focusing on making decisions and giving feedback that positively impacts our community.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;
Q: How does UW Bothell鈥檚 strategic priorities of strengthening diversity and equity, and enhancing community and campus engagement fit into your work?
Dion: This year, one of our focuses has been diversity, equity, inclusion and justice training 鈥� and understanding how we have impact on the residential community, the UW Bothell community and the larger community as a whole.鈥疻hen we say building community, we want all students to be included in that community.鈥疻e are always critically thinking about who is not at the table and making sure that we include those voices.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;
Katie:鈥疉nd we are all about enhancing campus engagement.鈥疷sing a curricular approach, we are strengthening partnerships on campus, and developing new and stronger programs for students.鈥疧ur goal is for students to know they belong.鈥疘n Residential Life, our tagline this year is 鈥淭his is home!鈥濃����&苍产蝉辫;
A couple of collaborations coming up this year include bringing the Collaboratory to Summit Hall for events and bringing in the academic advisers to the Summit main lounge.鈥疧ur RAs are super pumped to build a tight-knit community with our residents. They鈥檙e even linking up with campus partners to make our halls feel more like home. From hosting movie nights with discussions to inviting speakers to discuss topics such as universal design, we鈥檙e doing all sorts of cool stuff to make our residence hall the place to be.鈥��&苍产蝉辫;
Q: What are you working on today?鈥�&苍产蝉辫;
Katie: We are working to open the Residential Village to students, and increasing the scope and scale of Welcome Week events.鈥疻e have been challenged to go bold and that is what you will see during Welcome Week and throughout this academic year.鈥疛ust wait until Springfest!鈥�&苍产蝉辫;
Dion: Everything!鈥疘 want this campus to be a sticky campus. We want students to stay on campus and build community.鈥疧ur team is working on energizing the residential life team and planning programs.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;
Q: How does who you are show up in your work?鈥�
Dion:鈥疘 am always high energy.鈥疘 want work to be fun. I try to create a work environment that includes others, and I am always inviting others in.鈥疘 come from a place of care.鈥疘 want to give students the amazing college experience that I had!鈥�&苍产蝉辫;
碍补迟颈别:鈥�I am always working to make things better.鈥疌reating new ways for students to engage on campus is so exciting!鈥疘 love getting others involved and excited about student engagement.鈥���&苍产蝉辫;
Q: Where is your favorite spot on campus 鈥� and why?鈥�&苍产蝉辫;
Dion: It used to be The Commons in Commons Hall, I loved watching students hang out, play pool and build community.鈥疦ow it鈥檚 the Terrace Dining Pavilion.鈥疭eeing that same energy level from our UW Bothell community 鈥� and the food, of course!鈥��&苍产蝉辫;
Katie: Right now, it鈥檚 walking up the Promenade between Summit Hall and the Terrace Dining Pavilion.鈥疶his project was a long time coming, and seeing this space come to life is amazing.鈥疻atching the excitement on students鈥� faces as they walk through the space, it has all been worth it!鈥�&苍产蝉辫;
Q: What is your favorite thing about working at UW Bothell?鈥�&苍产蝉辫;
Dion:鈥疘 love the UW Bothell family atmosphere on campus.鈥疘 love the people! I am always saying 鈥渉i鈥� to everyone I meet. It鈥檚 what I do.
Katie:鈥疐or me, it鈥檚 watching this campus grow and change over the last decade.鈥疶hat keeps me engaged in the work.鈥疻e are building programs for students, and I love seeing the joy that they bring students.鈥���&苍产蝉辫;
