Page 76 - Phoenix2001-02

Wednesday, December 6, 2001- Page 12 FEATURES The Psyche of a Resident Assistant: Connie Williams NATASHA MCCONNAUGHEY ers and, "really big on family." the second floor of ANW, which was a Greek a lot more work, and that tends to get mo- SrajJWriler Williams is majoring in psychology and floor. notonous. She is the one who has to make When you think of senior Connie Will- minoring in sociology. However, when she That's right, Williams' first RA experi- the atmosphere livable and comforting. iams, the Resident Assistant for the second was young, she had wanted to be a veteri- ence was on a floor filled with sorority girls. Plus, if there is a problem she has to go floor of McDaniel Hall, you probably can- narian. In fact, she didn't want to become a Surprisingly, she did not mind working on a 10 every room and confront the girls indi- not imagine her getting picked up by the cops psychologist until she was in high school. Greek floor. In fact, she thought it made her vidually. when she was in 9th-grade. The turning point came out of some grizzly job easier. "Not many others have that same Wilson, said at the beginning of the year In fact, Williams referred to herself as a circumstances. view," says Williams. there was a problem with girls leaving their "devil child." Still, she is one of the most While in high school, a fellow student of Williams believes that working on a beds in the hallway. She said that Williams well-kno~n and respected RA's at WMC. Williams' committed suicide. Because of Greek floor keeps you on your toes. Greek took care of the situation in "a persistent, yet Born in Washington state, where she lived this, the school had several psychologists floors have the potential to keep you moti- friendly way." until she was 5, Williams is the youngest of come and chat with distraught students in vated and "some people stay motivated, but These are the types of attributes that make 12 brothers and sisters. However, out of all the school's auditorium. Williams ended up me, not so much," says Williams. a successful RA. Still, it is important to keep those siblings, only her sister Becky, who is staying all day talking with psychologists and She believes that on a Greek floor there in mind that Williams only became a RA to 22. has the same mother and father as Will- classmates. is a greater sense of community and prob- get a feel for what it will be like to help oth- iams. After the professionals left, there was still lems get solved a lot quicker. However, Wil- ers one day. She believes this is a great learn- Williams' parents, along with Connie and a young girl who was very upset and in need liams did have a problem with the fact that ing experience and will help her in the fu- sister Becky, moved to Kent Island, in 1985. of counseling. Williams recalled that some many of the girls did not go to her with their ture when looking for further schooling and It was there that Williams graduated from people told this young girl to "go find the problems. "They had their sisters for that," jobs. Queen Anne's County High School in 1998, girl with the long curly hair." That, of course, notes Williams. Asked what she will be doing in 10 years, then she came to Western Maryland College was Williams. She says it can get a little "nuts" at times, Williams responded, ''That will make me 31, that fall. Williams knew right then that she wanted but that is what keeps things exciting. Hsin- and hopefully 1 will be doing something with WMC was the only college Williams ap- to be a psychologist. ''There's a reason for Lun Tsai, an ex-RA and one of Williams' best psychology." plied to because it was the only school where everyone's words, thoughts, and actions, friends, thinks that Williams does such a Because Williams will be graduating in she could truly be happy. Williams believed, whether it be from childhood, or some type good job on the Greek floors because "she's May, Wilson will be very sad to see her go. "When you can narrow something down in of trauma," states Williams. The people she not a Nazi like Residence Life wants her to "She always adds the giggling, giddy piece YOUf life that makes you happy, you should is most anxious to help are underprivileged be." that is needed at the end of the day," says go with it," she says. children. Even though Williams does not follow Wilson. She also believes that Williams will Williams said she applied to WMC be- "I love the bad kids," says Williams. This the RAguidelines rigidly, she still has a good make a grand psychologist someday. cause it was a small school and the student! may have something to do with her being a relationship with her boss. Shonda Wilson, Hsin-Lun, Williams' best friend, will also teacher ratio was extremely good. She also "devil child" when she was young. There- the Residence Life Coordinator for be sad to see her go. To Hsin, Williams is had heard that WMC had a good psychol- fore, she wants to focus mainly on inner-city, McDaniel Hall, thinks that Williams is a her best friend because she is such a caring ogy program, and being that she wants to underprivileged, and minority children. "great" RA who gives students and fellow and compassionate person, not to mention spend her life helping those who are emo- "I always seemed like the problem- RA's positive feedback whenever needed. "defiantly fun." Hsin also thinks Williams tionally challenged, WMC seemed the right solver, you know, come and talk to Connie," Though Williams loves working on will make a great psychologist because, un- choice. says Williams. This was the reason she be- Greek floors, she now works on an indepen- like the people she will be helping, "Connie Williams is presently applying to gradu- came a RA for WMC. She figured she had dent floor in McDaniel, which she claims is is not psychotic," Hsin says with a laugh. ate school. She thinks she may want to go to start somewhere. not as exciting as Greek floors. The fact that At the end of it all, Williams wants WMC somewhere on the West Coast. Williams has Williams became a RA the second half the McDaniel floor is not alcohol-free is the to remember her as "The RA who was cool two.halLbrothers who still live in Washing- ofber sophomore year, thinking ir would be: only thing that keeps it interesting, she says. as s--t!" and it certainly seems as though'she ton, so that stale is looking really good to a good way to help people. However, the first On an independent floor the responsibil- is well on her way to earning that title. her. She is extremely close with her broth- floor Wi lliams was assigned to work on was ity is more on her. This means she has to do Night of Nuance: Nuance gives it up for the ladies Nuance had the ladies dancing and on the claimed, "When you come out to a Nuance JESSICA WATSON 'Just My Imagination' by the Temptations. 1 Co-News Editor edge of their seats as they danced and drew concert you come out expecting the unex- didn't really enjoy having to wait thirty-five in the crowd. The lights were dimmed and pected, and you come ready to party," you minutes for them to come out, but I did like Nuance warned WMC that they would the smoked seemed to submerge the mem- missed out. Ladies in the audience danced how they engaged the audience. Overall it not know what to expect when they came to bers as they sung on stage. throughout the show; when Nuance asked was a good concert." perform. Nuance, featuring Neo, Brisq, Dirt, They also had choreographed dance rou- the crowd, "What are you doing tonight?" "I think that the concert was really nice," Raad, and Staccato performed live on Fri- tines that kept the crowd hyped. Each mem- everyone screamed, "after party!!" said Devin Collins, also from the hospitality day, November 30, in Alumni Hall. The show ber introduced themselves to the crowd and Although the concert received some con- committee. "I liked how they incorporated was more than anyone could expect, and sang a brief solo. The ladies were hypno- structive criticism, it also got some positive various kinds of music to keep the crowd definitely one that will be remembered. tized. feedback. pumped, as well as how they showed their "It's so crazy, we don't even know what Before the concert special passes were "It was fabulous!" Krystle Allen said. own style." to expect," said Neo when questioned pre- handed out to random ladies in the audience "The performance was amazing. Getting the Overall the performance was well worth viously about this concert. "With each show as they walked in. Nuance invited the ladies opportunity to speak with them I realized the eight dollar ticket and then some. It was we try to surprise ourselves." Nuance did to come up on stage and dance. Some jumped how congenial and humble they were." well coordinated and a night to reminisce on more than surprise themselves; they also to the chance before they even finished their Krystle was a part of the hospitality com- for years to come. surprised the crowd. request. mittee. Senior Shaiah Gaddy, along with the hos- The music had the rhythm and harmony They gave away some copies of their de- "I noticed that in the beginning of the pitality committee, the Black Student Union, that just made your body want to move in but album, tossing them into the crowd. Al- concert, when Neo was introducing the group CAPBoard, and anyone else who played a sync with the tune. Neo promised, "We want bums were sold after the concert for 13 dol- and the band that he didn't introduce role in putting together the Night of Nuance to make sure that we give you all that we lars and Nuance was plagued with fans want- Staccato's name," said Kennedra Tucker. "I should be commended for their hard work, absolutely positively can, and whatever ing an autograph. didn't really like that. Bur, I did like the fact effort, ann dedication to the task. comes out of it comes out of it." If you didn't believe Dirt when he that they did oldies bur goodies, like the song Members of the acclaimed band Nuance pose for a personality picture (left). From left to right there is Dirt, Staccato, Brisq. Neo, and Road. The band performed live here at WMC on November 30 in Alumni Hall. Thefans experienced a true "Night of Nuance."