Those looking for independence, community, and a comprehensive college student living experience have come to the right place at Sonoma State. That’s because SSU’s Residential Education and Campus Housing (REACH) is anything but traditional dorm life.
With apartment, town home, and suite-style housing offering individual bedrooms and bathrooms, and a campus with beautiful natural acreage close to community areas, students benefit from self-sufficient living while navigating their higher education experience.
“We want students to feel like they are as independent as they can be with supportive measures so they can be academically successful,” said Erin Hunter, Director of REACH.
Hunter and her team are committed to creating an inclusive community in the neighboring villages on campus, and said what sets the program apart from other colleges is the opportunity for students to be truly self-reliant in a safe and supportive environment while traversing young adulthood.
“The point is to create an experience for students to feel supported from the time they enter the university until they graduate and move into what we in this generation are calling ‘adulting.’” Hunter said.
The period from 18 to 26 is a pivotal time in life, as young people are expected to take on new responsibilities and commitments. Managing these challenges without support – or managing them poorly – can alter the direction of someone’s life, Hunter added.
“College is a time to develop skills around socialization and community building, as well as learning academically and critical thinking. This all helps you to move into your professional life,” she said.
Parents and family often guide us through this time, but Hunter knows not all students have or want that. She said the housing program at SSU creates a comprehensive network of support.
Residential housing at SSU “is all-encompassing,” Hunter said. It includes material benefits like utilities and streaming TV, but also features 24/7 call support, mediation, and mental health support. “We are a great referral to the experts on campus,” Hunter said.
Ally Liberty, REACH Resident Advisor, said she often hears students talk about how they appreciate comforts like full kitchens, private bathrooms, wifi, and swimming pools – residential resources that most universities don’t offer.
Not to mention the size of their on-campus homes.
“They really enjoy the privacy that comes with having such big living spaces for fewer people,” Liberty said.
The REACH team is resident-centered and collaborative about how they serve the students. “Our first concern when implementing any new practices or procedures is how we can best serve our residents,” Liberty said.
With a sense of community and a network of support, Hunter said REACH helps residents to be academically and socially successful — and to thrive. That means extra resources for things like conflict management, a skill that Hunter and her team can’t stress enough.
“We want students to learn how to manage conflict. It is very important to us,” she said. “Conflict does not go away, and if we can build a lifelong skill, or be a part of helping students navigate derisive conversation with someone else in a safe space, we have succeeded.
Engaged in creating success on campus and for the future, the REACH team is committed to student prosperity.
“We are in the business of creating opportunities for students to thrive at Sonoma State … and thriving means that they are not only academically successful, but also successful later in life,” Hunter said.
- Krista Sherer, Strategic Communications Writer