Congratulations to our West Area RA of the Month for October 2015, Dean Blanks from North Carrick! Here's what some of Dean's fellow RAs had to say about his great work:
"I
have had the pleasure of working with Dean Blanks for the last three months,
but I feel like I’ve only really gotten to know him in the past few weeks. I
first met Dean last spring. He was nice, but seemed very soft-spoken and even a
bit shy. I expected Dean to be one of the more reserved members of the staff
this year. Needless to say, I was wrong.
Anyone
who has known Dean for more than a few days knows that he is anything but shy.
Dean is one of the most genuine, open people I’ve ever met. He is never afraid
to speak his mind, whether that means congratulating someone on a job well done
or telling them if they are out of line. However, this doesn’t mean that Dean
is cruel. Rather, he is always positive and upbeat. Dean did a wonderful job
helping our staff bond during training through his sense of humor. His stories
and jokes are a constant source of amusement among our staff. Even during all
of the difficult changes we have been faced with in the past month, Dean always
finds a way to make us laugh.
Although
I have always appreciated Dean’s kindness and authenticity, I have truly seen
the kind of person that he is over the past month. I have been faced with a lot
of challenges recently. Aside from the recent staffing changes, which took its
toll on all of us, many issues have come up in my personal life that were hard
to deal with. From home sickness to a car accident and everything in between,
Dean has been a constant source of support and guidance for me. I have spent many
nights over the past few weeks on Dean’s couch, talking late into the morning
about our lives and our problems. He is always willing to listen without
judgment. He is encouraging and supportive. Whenever anyone comes to him with a
problem, he drops what he is doing so that he can give them his full attention.
I have heard this sentiment echoed from several other staff members. Dean is
someone you can talk to about anything.
What
amazes me most about Dean is his wisdom. Although he is only a sophomore, Dean
is much wiser than most people in college and beyond. Despite this, he still
has a lot of self-doubt. He worries about what he is going to do for a career
and whether he is having an impact on residents. What he doesn’t realize is
that he has done an amazing job over the past three months. I have personally
seen his interactions with residents. The residents on his floor and others are
just as comfortable with Dean as they are with each other. They come to him for
advice and joke around with him. His programs have been very successful as
well. Last weekend, six of his residents woke up before 8 a.m. to go hiking
with him. We all know how difficult it is to get off campus but to do so that
early on a Saturday- it shows he knows what his floor is interested in and his
extensive effort into building relationships with his guys.
Dean
Blanks has continuously impressed me with his floor community. There is not a
time that I can recall when he is working desk and doesn’t interact with
numerous residents walking by. His residents have a saying inspired by Dj
Khaled- “Another one”. Dean used this and made his door decorations funny
pictures of rappers tying in the floor’s branded saying. This integration of
community into floor decorations shows great cohesiveness and awareness by Dean
in the best interest of his floor. Dean is doing an excellent job. I am
nominating him for RA of the Month because he is kind, wise, genuine, and, most
importantly, modest. Although he would never consider himself deserving of it,
I believe Dean is an exceptional RA, coworker, and friend who should be
recognized for all he does for our staff."
Keep up the good work Dean!
