The Association of Residence Halls (ARH) is a student-run organization within the residence halls. University Housing Services is writing a series of articles on how experiences being a part of the ARH executive board influenced their personal and professional growth.
In all four residential living areas, ARH serves as students’ voice on campus. Overseen by the ARH executive board, ARH performs various functions in helping to provide a welcoming and inclusive residence hall experience. For this article, we talked with former ARH president Josh Ririe about his experiences as president and how it has developed his personal and professional skills.
“I mention being president [of ARH] in almost every interview I have,” said Josh Ririe, former president of ARH. Ririe notes that his time with ARH has left him with valuable professional experiences that he can bring up during conversations with potential future employees.
When asked how his time with ARH has helped him to be able to market himself, Ririe explains that he always tries to bring up specific experiences with ARH that have developed him. “I always bring up the mechanical bull program,” said Ririe. “With so many different aspects to the [program], it shows good organization.”
Having been the previous Director of Administrative Affairs for ARH as well, Ririe has been able to spend quality time with the organization. “It shows commitment,” said Ririe. “I was able to stick with this [organization].” As the Director of Administrative Affairs, Ririe’s main responsibilities included managing the ARH budget and dealing with student requests for funding.
Ririe is a senior Finance and Economics major and is currently the Chief of Staff at Illinois State University’s Student Government Association. He has career aspirations to work in the finance sector with a focus on data analytics. After working with ARH, Ririe desires to continue to grow in his leadership and management skills. “It’s about getting different personality types to get along,” explains Ririe when recounting his role in overseeing the ARH executive board as president. “You need to manage everyone differently.”
ARH provides a variety of professional development and community engagement opportunities for students living in the Residence Halls. For more information, visit ARH.IllinoisState.edu.
