Resident + IHP Highlights
2012-2013 RAAC Staff
Top row, left to right: Xin Liu( Penn, Netherlands), Mariam Naeem( Penn, Pakistan), Melisa Kabilizya( Temple, Zambia), Michael Beachem( IHP Associate Director Resident Life), Sheng Mao( Penn, China)
Bottom row, left to right: Yoon“ Steve” Ho Chang( Penn, South Korea), Jessica“ Oriana” Grant( Penn, USA), Sojung“ Lindsey” Lee( Penn, South Korea), Ufuoma Abiola( Penn, USA / Nigeria), Min Wang( Penn, USA / China)
The Resident Advisory and Activity Center commonly known as The R. A. A. C. continues to provide a wide variety of support to our residents during their stay at International House. Our aim is to take care of the social and support needs of residents to enhance their academic endeavors. We do this through content specific programming, one on one and group counseling and leadership opportunities.
The spring term began with an eventful and well attended Welcome Back program at the end of January. The following month of February was our busiest. Many of our residents were able to enjoy“ American” football together as we watched the XLVII Superbowl in the Student Center Café. Residents were able to express their love for the house during Valentine’ s Day with hand written shaped hearts that were hung in our lobby. Each resident wrote a few words about how they appreciate the house as they enjoyed holiday sweet candy from around the world. Lunar New Year filled our Ibrahim Theater to capacity with wonderful cultural performances. The month concluded with an Academy Award Oscar Party that attracted guests from the community. International House plans to make this an even larger event for the community in the future. Traditional movie nights were held once a month allowing residents to view recent features on the big screen of the Ibrahim Theater from the comfort of home.
Our Resident Hall Council( RHC) continued to grow this year, lending a residential voice to business of the house. We will continue to nurture this program to allow for more students involvement and leadership development. RHC held weekly hot chocolate / tea gatherings and a final end of the year social in the Berwind Student Center.
Our Resident Advisors this year hailed from a variety of nations such as Zambia, Pakistan, Nigeria, China, Netherlands, South Korea, and United States and each helped support our residents in a variety of ways. They held numerous house meetings to allow for small social interactions amongst the
house suites. The RA staff counseled and intervened to help with conflicts and concerns. They offered guidance to resources provided in the house, through the city and at partnering colleges and universities.
Resident Advisors were charged with offering complimentary social and educational programs that ranged from: Learning about Karate, Applying to Medical and Dental School, Safety and Security Self Defense, Cake Making, and Japanese Tea ceremony.
We honored a number of our residents at the annual Farewell Party and Awards Ceremony. President and CEO Tanya Steinberg, Director Glenn Martin and Associate Director Michael Beachem offered parting words of appreciation to these residents that went above and beyond and now join the ranks of our esteemed alumni. Our awardees this year included: Resident Leadership Award, Kalbillah Galmai; Most Involved Resident Award, Farah Azhar and Lokesh Prabhu; Resident Ambassador Award, Kevin Bass. Two of our Resident Advisors were awarded for outstanding contribution and dedication to IHP, Sojung“ Lindey” Lee and Yoon“ Steve” Ho Chang.
We continued to welcome students throughout the summer with a well attended 4th of July barbecue of over two hundred attendees and look forward to a productive start of the Fall term in August.
IHP Resident Awards:
Resident Leadership Award – Kalbillah Galmai, Chad Most Involved Resident Award – Farah Azhar, Pakistan Most Involved Resident Award – Lokesh Pabhu, USA Resident Ambassador Award – Kevin Bass, USA Recognition of Outstanding Contribution and Dedication to IHP – Sojung“ Lindsey” Lee, RA, South Korea – Yoo Ho Chang, RA, South Korea
2