BRYAN HAVER WINS NATIONAL AWARD

Bryan Haver, a UH Resident Assistant (RA) who just completed his freshman year, won the First Year Experience Award at the NACURH (National Association of College and University Residence Halls) National Conference held at the end of May. The award is given to a freshman who has contributed in a significant way to the overall development of the residential community. Haver contributed by serving as the National Communications Coordinator for RHA (Residence Hall Association), the RHA representative on the Food Service Advisory Committee, a SWACURH (Southwest Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls) Conference Hosting Committee member, a NACURH Corporate Structure Committee member, the student representative on the Residential Life and Housing Executive Director Search Committee and a Cougar Preview volunteer. In addition, Haver is a member of the Honors College, an Academic Excellence Scholarship recipient, a member of the Pre-Pharmacy Association and a copy editor for The Daily Cougar. (Whew! It makes you tired just to think about all that he has done in his first year!)

NACURH gives fifteen competitive awards on the national level, but the competition for the First Year Experience Award is especially fierce because there are so many first year students eligible for the award. Haver had won the regional award, so he was not only representing the University of Houston, but also SWACURH. SWACURH�s elected student leaders advocated for Haver�s bid. Haver�s bid beat out seven other regional winners for the national title. Haver�s award was the only win from the SWACURH region (Arkansas, Louisiana, Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas).

Colleen Schmidt, area coordinator and RHA staff advisor, said, �How very exciting! The number of bids from the regional to national level is significant and this really is an awesome honor. Out of hundreds of schools competing, we were able to be recognized in front of our peers for a job well done. The bid and award process is a team effort and I am really proud of our RHA for having helped contribute to the process for Bryan.�

Haver was one of five students from RHA who accompanied Colleen Schmidt and area coordinator Rachel Goodlad to the NACURH National Conference, which was held at Western Illinois University in MaComb, Illinois. NACURH is considered to be the largest student-run organization in the world. Approximately 2,900 RHA student leaders from all over the U.S., Canada and Australia attended the conference. The conference�s main purpose is educational. Schmidt stated, �Our students were exposed to various forms of student leadership at many different campuses, as well as engaged in sessions to help gain insight and ideas into successful programs to help build our own residential community.�



The UH RHA delegation (L to R) Rachel Goodlad, Bethel Glumac, Alexandria Harris, Rymonda Davis, Neimon James, Bryan Haver and Colleen Schmidt about to start their trip to Illinois.

For more information about Residential Life & Housing or RHA, go to their website.
For more information about NACURH, go to their website.
For more information about SWACURH, go to their website.