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Welcome
to the Alexander Advantage:
Why are you at an advantage to live in Alexander Hall? In Alexander Hall, all of the students are Undeclared Liberal Arts First Year Students! Everyone here is in the same boat. All Alexander residents are starting in the same place with similar fears and confusion – and our goal is to clear some of that up by the end of the year. We have many programs like “How to Pick your Major” to help residents figure out how to do just that. We are lucky enough to have our own Academic Advisor, Kelley Bordeleau, who advises all Alexander students and spends time in the Hall every week. Kelley talks with Alexander students and helps them find their way in the academic world.
 Alexander Hall is a fantastic place to live!
How could you not love the small hall atmosphere, the freshmen energy, the location so close to downtown, the fabulous housekeeper Virginia and living in a theme hall? Need to hear more? Then hear it from the residents themselves:
“Being an Alexander resident, I feel means a guaranteed opportunity to meet well over 40 new people. It is a great feeling. Living with so many people who are just as hopeful to make new friends as you are is comforting. I love the continuous support shown by the halls in such events as Floor Wars, I felt like it was a chance to meet people on other floors and even people on my floor whom I never had given the chance to meet. Incoming Freshmen: Room here! It is a tight-knit group and everyone is just like you: they want to meet new people!”
~ Ryan Agnew, Alexander resident
“Like many incoming college freshman, I was nervous about starting a new life. However the community-based and friendly atmosphere in this first-year Liberal Arts dorm allowed me to adjust immediately to all other aspects of college. Alexander is truly my home away from home.”
~ Jocelyn Bissonnette, Alexander resident
 “I love the fact that it's not just a dorm, it's a community. Being a very shy person I was afraid I wouldn't ever meet anyone, but when I'm here I feel like I'm a part of something. I really like having an RA who really works hard to try to get us together and get to know each other. I think without events like the trip to Freeport I still wouldn't even know everyone's name. Having that kind of a supportive community is a very big plus for incoming freshman who are often scared and don't know what to expect or how to act. It gives you
confidence and even begins feeling like a 2nd family to some extent.”
~ Mikaela Ritter, Alexander resident
“My favorite thing about living here is that everyone is so close and respectable. In every other dorm you don’t know anyone except the person across the hall, but here you make friends with everyone on your floor and even other floors. That is truly unheard of anywhere else. Also when friends come from other dorms and from home they are amazed on how friendly everyone is.”
~ Mike Ralph, Alexander resident
|  Survey
Says!
91% of Alexander residents say they like living in their hall (Fall 2006 Residential Survey)
94% of Alexander residents say they respect their RA (Fall 2006 Residential Survey)
93% of Alexander residents say that their RA has been a positive role model on the floor (Fall 2006 Residential Survey)
80% of Alexander residents say that the hall staff has emphasized the importance of getting involved (Fall 2006 Residential Survey)
88% of Alexander residents say that the housekeeping staff does a good job cleaning the hall (Fall 2006 Residential Survey) |
Program Highlights:
*Friends Project
*Hall BBQ
*Coffeehouse
*Floor Wars
*Ping Pong Tournament
*Breaking Boards
*Getting to Know yourProfessors
*Trip to Freeport Outlets
*Apple Picking
*Bias Gallery
*Hungry Planet display
"The best program sponsored by the dorm was "Getting to Know Your Professors". It was so interesting to meet actual professors from all areas of study on the campus and to hear how they ended up doing what they are doing. The whole theme week really encouraged me to go out and meet my professors because it's hard to ask your professor to be understanding about a missed assignment or class if they have no idea who you are!"
~ Aisling Maes, Alexander resident
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First Year Programming
Curriculum:
As if all the fun we have in Alexander Hall isn’t enough, we still make room for a little education too. Each week we explore a different theme – topics that we believe are important, engaging and fun for first year students. Check out what first semester was like:
Week 1: Roommates
Week 2: SHARPP/Got Consent
Week 3: Getting Involved
Week 4: Alcohol
Week 5: Academic Success
Week 6: Getting to know your Professors
Week 7: Diversity
Week 8: Off week
Week 9: Floor Wars
Week 10: Registration
Week 11: Assessment and Feedback
Week 12: Roommates Part II
Week 13: Finals Prep
Week 14: Winter Celebrations
“The best program was when the hall staff posted all of the negative abuse things in the lounge. It really made an impact on how mean people can be and not even realize what they are doing or who they are hurting.”
~ Laura Kennedy, Alexander resident
What is Laura talking about? She’s talking about one of the many diversity programs Alexander hosted this year. The Bias Gallery – a display of actual acts of discrimination on the UNH campus – was one of the programs sponsored during Diversity Week in Alexander. Diversity is a value that Alexander holds in high regard and students displayed this value by posting a note on their door stating, “We appreciate differences and believe in a positive Alexander community.”
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Friends
Project:
Friends Project is Alexander’s community partnership – every other Friday, we take residents to the Greenleaf Recreation Center in Portsmouth and spend a few hours with young people with disabilities. We play basketball, listen to music, shoot pool, make craft projects and socialize. It’s a fantastic way for residents to get off campus for a while and spend some time with some younger students.
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“The best program that I have been involved in this year would have to be the Friends project. It is such a nice way to spend your Friday afternoon. The look on their faces when you get there is priceless.” –Sarah Buckley, Alexander resident
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Alexander
Hall Council:
The Activities Board is a perfect way to get involved, meet
people and plan fun events for the hall! Our group meets
once a week, plans the hall traditions like the hall BBQ
and comes
up with  new activities like a gingerbread house making contest!
It’s just a bunch of excited residents who want to
fill up more nights with activities and trips away from
campus. The meetings are always open to everyone and we
love when new residents pop their heads in to help out!
“The best program
I went to this year was Activities Board. This is the first
program I attended since coming to UNH and it was the greatest
decision I made. I started off already part of a group and
it made me feel as though I was doing something for our
dorm. It is a really great time and not to be missed!”~
Lauren Freedman, Alexander resident
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Words
of Advice from Alexander residents:
“GET INVOLVED IN ANYTHING YOU
CAN! It's such a great way to meet people!” ~ Erin Brown,
Alexander resident
“My advice for incoming freshmen:
Follow your heart wherever it leads you. Even if it seems
like the hype is somewhere else, if you don't really want
to be there, then stick by what your heart is telling you,
for that is what will bring you your happiness.”
~ Jaime Van Leuven, Alexander resident
“Incoming freshmen should be
open and willing to new experiences and ideas. Don’t
be afraid to ask when you need help. Your RA’s and RHD
are some of the best resources you will have here.”
~ Megan Specia, Alexander resident
“Choose Alexander.”
~ Alana Copeland, Alexander resident
“My advice for incoming freshmen
would be to explore, explore, explore. Get involved as much
as possible on campus (but don't overwhelm yourself) because
the time will fly by very quickly and there are many opportunities
you don't want to miss out on!”
~ Emily Louick, Alexander resident |
Alexander
Advantage Staff |
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Beth Libby has started her 2nd year as Hall
Director.
Beth's Biography
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Kelley
Bordeleau Kelley moved
to the Seacoast region and began working as an academic
advisor here at UNH in August of 2006. She is very
excited to help students explore possible classes and
majors, and she will be available each Wednesday from
1:00 to 3:00 for drop-in appointments in Alexander
Hall.
Kelley's Biography |
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Five
Resident Assistants work
and live in Alexander along with the Hall Director. Our staff
is dedicated to building a positive community and helping
residents through the transition of their first year at UNH.
They are a fun group of hard workers with a ton of energy!
RA Biographies |
Other Key Players
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