Resident Adviser
Apply to be a 2025-2026 Resident Adviser!
Please keep in mind that you must have completed at least one semester at Wake Forest to be an RA. Students in their first semester on campus are still eligible to apply.
Thank you for your interest in the Resident Adviser (RA) position at Wake Forest University.
The Office of Residence Life and Housing believes the Resident Adviser (RA) position is the premier leadership position on our campus. We are looking for students to join our team.
We are looking for the next generation of student leaders who care about creating an unrivaled student experience within our residential communities. We are looking for leaders who are influencers, role models, and community builders.
As an RA, you’ll partner with a diverse group of students to create a home at Wake Forest as a part of a residential community while creating programs and initiatives that enhance the student experience–one where each student matters, belongs, and thrives.
The RA position is also a resume builder.
The RA position gives you a unique opportunity to build leadership qualities that are highly marketable to employers. Management and delegation skills, the ability to express ideas, critical thinking, problem-solving, and the ability to work effectively with a team are just some of the transferable skills you’ll gain for both your academic and professional career here at Wake Forest and beyond.
There are also great tangible benefits! RAs receive a single room at a discounted rate and a $5,700 stipend for the academic year!
Most of all, we provide our leaders with professional development opportunities, weekly 1:1 support, a community within your staff team, and the opportunity to invest in your fellow peers’ lives! What other campus position does that?!
INTERVIEW & SELECTION PROCESS
View our info session here!
Interested in learning more about the RA position? Additional questions can be sent to Kayla Harvey – Assistant Director of Staff Selection, Recruitment, and Leadership – at harveyk@wfu.edu.
All applicants, including returning RAs,
must apply via the housing portal.
2025-2026 applications close on Tuesday, January 14, 2025 at 11:59pm.
Candidates will complete individual interviews with current staff members.
Returning RA candidates (current RAs) and New RA candidates will interview in February.
Instructions about scheduling interviews will be distributed to qualified applicants in late January or early February.
Decision letters will be available to both new and returning RAs by the end of February. All letters regardless of the decision will be available at the same time.
Frequently Asked Questions
RAs are required to have a minimum of 2.50 for both semester and cumulative GPAs. Grade checks will happen at the end of each semester. RAs who do not meet the minimum requirements will be required to participate in the department’s Academic Support Program. This initiative provides these staff members with additional resources and one-on-one coaching to help them balance their academics with the RA role. RAs who have below a 2.00 GPA may be released from the position.
Yes, all newly hired RA staff members must take the CNS 353 class, which is a half-semester course. Staff who are unable to register for the in-person class have the option to take this class as an independent study.
All RAs are expected to prioritize the RA position over other non-academic responsibilities. If an RA is interested in holding another on or off campus job while also serving as an RA they will need to get approval from the director of Residence Life prior to starting the second job. Other on-campus jobs are capped at 4 hours/week and off-campus jobs are capped at 9 hours/week.
Yes, international students can serve as RAs. If hired, additional steps will be required to ensure you are cleared to work in the US and at Wake Forest. Our department assists these students with the paperwork process and provides more information after offers are accepted.
Each financial aid package is different, so we strongly recommend that you contact the Student Financial Aid office for specific details on how the RA role may affect your financial aid. When connecting with the Student Financial Aid office, you can let them know of your intent to apply and that the remuneration package includes a discounted single room and a stipend.
Applicants who are extended an interview invitation will complete virtual interviews if they are abroad or interning outside of Winston-Salem. The interview will occur during the same week of in-person interviews.
Yes! Though our preference is generally to hire candidates who will be able to work both the fall and spring semesters, we will consider applicants who are only able to work one semester.
The Residence Life team includes approximately 130 RAs.
During the interview, you will be asked to submit your preference for the type of community you would like to work in. However, final decisions about where you will be placed will be based on the community’s needs.
Approved accommodations made prior to the selection period (February) are granted whenever possible. Accommodations that are approved after accepting the offer may require the RA to decide between their accommodation and their position This is because it becomes significantly more challenging for our team to accommodate changes once RA placements have been finalized.
If you are assigned to a space with suitemates, our Assignments team will contact you for information on who you would like to pull into your space. If you do not pull anyone into your suite by the established deadline, students will be able to select to live in that suite during Housing Selection.
If you complete the Housing Agreement for the upcoming academic year but later decline the position or become ineligible, you will still be responsible for fulfilling the Housing Agreement. Students with fewer than six housing credits will participate in the Housing Selection process. If you have six housing credits and are eligible to live off-campus, you can change your intent before the deadline without any penalty. However, if you request to live off-campus after the deadline, a cancellation fee of $250.00 will apply.
Being on duty is when an RA holds a phone when the university is not open for business hours. During this time, the RA answers any calls and responds to incidents, including, but not limited to, lockouts, resident concerns, noise complaints, and facilities issues. Being on duty consists of responding to such emergencies, contacting the appropriate individuals, documenting situations, and walking through the building to conduct “duty rounds.”