Say hello to next year’s resident advisors. Whether you are an incoming freshman, transfer student or soon-to-be college senior, Bluffton’s Residence Life staff is meant to be a huge part of your college experience.
Logan Hurt sitting outside Ropp Hall with dog Rose. Photo by Payton Stephens.
Logan Hurt
Freshman social work major Logan Hurt will be a resident advisor for the second floor of Ropp Addition during the 2022-2023 school year.
Hurt currently resides on the third floor of Ropp Annex where their resident advisor Clay Quellhorst first welcomed Hurt to campus. It’s because of students like Quellhorst that Hurt was able to feel comfortable with their new environment and make new friends.
Hurt hopes their role as an RA will be successful in welcoming new students to campus and helping them feel as comfortable and safe as possible. They aspire to make more resources and spaces for transgender and non-binary students on campus.
“I have been working with Aspyn to hopefully create an outline for a possible experimental ‘Rainbow Floor,” said Hurt. “Or a floor for non-gender conforming students to feel comfortable. So, they would have a floor where they wouldn’t feel out of place.”
Favorite color: Green
What you would do if money wasn’t a factor: Move to Finland
Favorite place on campus: Sitting on the stones surrounding the bridge connecting Marbeck Center to Sauder Visual Arts Center.
“Coming down on the side of this bridge and sitting on the stones,” said Hurt. “Just watching the water and playing guitar with my dog.”
Riley Garmatter outside of Ramseyer Hall. Photo by Payton Stephens.
Riley Garmatter
Sophomore P-5 education major Riley Garmatter will be a resident advisor for the third floor of Ramseyer Hall during the 2022-2023 school year.
Garmatter has been an RA this school year with a majority of freshman residents. The effect she was able to have in residents transition to college life made her want to continue on as an RA.
“It has been cool to see them [freshman residents] grow and be there for them when they need me,” said Garmatter.
She wants her residents for next year to know they can always expect a smiling face, someone to listen and a safe place to go.
“I just want to make people feel safe,” said Garmatter. “Like they do have a home on this campus, and they do have people who care for them no matter how close they are, I hope and pray they know that.”
Garmatter wants to focus her attention on making sure residents—especially incoming freshman—know she loves, respects, appreciates and wants the best for each of them.
“I like helping people,” said Garmatter. “When people lock themselves out of their room, I actually tend to enjoy going to help them. It’s a good way to support campus.”
Favorite color: Purple
Favorite place on campus: Nature Preserve
Noah Heiing
Heiing posing with his dog Nelson in the middle of the pit in Ropp Hall. Photo by Payton Stephens.
Sophomore communication and media major Noah Heiing will be a resident advisor for the second floor of Ramseyer Hall during the 2022-2023 school year.
Heiing has been an RA this school year on second floor of Ropp Addition. He chose to continue being an RA because of the positive experience he had in the role this past year.
“You get to meet tons of new people,” said Heiing. “It’s really great to be a resource for everyone, a friendly face that they can come to for anything or any questions they may have.”
As an RA, Heiing hopes to become a better leader using the skills needed for the job. He aims to make new friends and make sure his residents know that they can come to him with any questions. Heiing also offers the comfort of his roommate—year-and-a-half old Labradoodle Nelson.
Favorite color: Red
Favorite place on campus: The pit in Ropp Hall
Frankie Hamilton
Frankie Hamilton outside Ramseyer Hall. Photo by Payton Stephens.
Junior social work major Frankie Hamilton will be a resident advisor for the third floor of Ramseyer Hall during the 2022-2023 school year.
Hamilton’s skill sets needed as a social worker overlap with the skill sets people often obtain after working as an RA, making her role even more important to her.
As an RA Hamilton will create and amplify the importance of community within her residence hall. She shares experiences living in Neufeld Hall where she says the sense of community wasn’t always present.
“In Neufeld it doesn’t even feel like college anymore,” said Hamilton. “I want to have a floor that’s fun and everybody is friends, so we are friendly. You talk to someone every time you leave.”
She wants to make it clear to residents that she will be there to help with anything they need: Someone to talk to, help finding more resources, advice, help with adulting or even just someone to ride somewhere with them.
“I guess I want to be the ‘Big Sister’ figure,” said Hamilton.
Favorite color: Orange
Favorite place on campus: The Tech Center
Aspyn Rafac standing outside Ropp Hall. Photo by Payton Stephens.
Aspyn Rafac
Freshman communication and media and Spanish major Aspyn Rafac will be a resident advisor for the first floor of Ropp Addition during the 2022-2023 school year.
Rafac credits fellow RA and friend Heiing for pushing them out of their comfort zone enough to apply for an RA position and get involved more on campus in general.
“I want to be a good role model for my residents, but first and foremost I want to be the first friend they make on campus,” said Rafac.
Rafac aims to create a safe space for mental health conversations during their time as an RA. Rafac shared that they struggled during their first semester and that they know if it wasn’t for the support from RAs they wouldn’t be doing as well as they are currently.
“I really want to be that person for someone else,” said Rafac.
Favorite color: Brown
What you would do if money wasn’t a factor: Concert road-trip
“There are like 24 concerts I would love to go to,” said Rafac. “It would be like a road-trip of concerts and in every state, I would find a new concert to go to.”
Olivia Daugherty standing outside Hirschy Annex. Photo by Payton Stephens.
Olivia Daugherty
Freshman communication and media and writing major Olivia Daugherty will be a resident advisor for the second floor of Hirschy Annex during the 2022-2023 school year.
As a student athlete on the Women’s Cross Country team, Daugherty recognizes if it wasn’t for the RAs and people on her floor, she wouldn’t have made any friends outside of her team. She knows the majority of her residents will be freshman, so she wants to be able to provide the inclusivity she experienced as a freshman to those incoming as well.
“Going into college I knew nobody from Bluffton other than the cross-country team,” said Daugherty. “If it wasn’t for the relationships with the people on my floor, I wouldn’t have friends outside of the cross-country team. I can’t even imagine going to a new school and not knowing anybody.”
Daugherty’s main goal as an RA is to cultivate positive relationships with and amongst her residents.
“I want my residents to know my door is always open,” said Daugherty. “If you want to talk about something serious or just have a conversation I am always here.”
Favorite color: Teal
Favorite place on campus: The Kiva
Karma Williams standing outside Neufeld Hall. Photo by Payton Stephens.
Karma Williams
Sophomore social work major Karma Williams will be a resident advisor for the second floor of Neufeld Hall during the 2022-2023 school year.
Williams also expressed the relation between skills needed within her social work major and her role as an RA.
“Being there for people, being able to help them through problems and just connecting people,” said Williams. “I feel like people know me on campus, I just don’t get out much, so I definitely want to meet new people.”
She hopes to help make Bluffton University fun and interesting for her residents while still ensuring campus is a community for all. Williams wants residents to learn something from their experience with her as an RA.
“I want them to learn how to have a leader that has that power but still is a friend,” said Williams. “I want to be that but still be all open arms.”
With Neufeld Hall having mainly upperclassman residents, Williams hopes to be a helpful resource when preparing for the next transition in life—life after college.
She also wants to make LGBTQ+ themes more prominent when decorating boards within the halls and looking into fun daily national holidays to celebrate.
“I also want to make a fun hall event that incorporates an activity to bring all of the residents together but also be learning,” said Williams. “Or like therapeutic ways, just bringing more awareness to mental health and self-care.”
Favorite color: Red
Favorite place on campus: Kreider Room
