[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="360"]
Courtesy of shu.edu[/caption]
Joshua Reda, Aquinas residence hall director, hosted a luncheon on Sept. 11 in the Pirate’s Cove, providing students with an opportunity to voice their questions and concerns as they settle on the Seton Hall campus.
Reda, the pioneer of the residence hall luncheon concept, said that he was motivated to organize this activity through Boland and Aquinas Halls’ welcoming theme, “Home away from home."
“I was always looking for ways to engage the students and get to know them,” Reda said. “This is a positive way to connect with students, I want to be there as a support network for the students.”
The group of four students discussed a range of topics from the condition of the rooms to upcoming events.
“Mr. Reda was open and direct, willing to answer any questions we had without judgment or suspicion,” Michael Novak, a freshman who attended the luncheon, said in an email.
The luncheon proved to be an enlightening experience for attendees.
“I had no idea what would come of it and thought of it as a curious experiment,” Paris Terrell, a fresh
man, said via email. “I happened to learn many interesting things about AQ and especially that, as a resident, I have a voice.”
Reda hopes to continue these lunches every two weeks during a time that is most convenient for his residents. Reda said that he will continue promoting these gatherings of five to 10 students at a time through email and sign-up sheets.
“My goal is to get new people each time,” said Reda. “My hope is that some of the people who might be shyer, or just want to get involved, will step up.”
Aquinas residents who did not attend the first luncheon plan to attend the bi-weekly event.
“I definitely would [attend],” said freshman Rachel Petke, “I didn’t know about the first one but, I’ll keep a look out for more in the future.”
Julie Trien can be reached at julie.trien@student.shu.edu
Comments
