Oh hey! Welcome to the community.
It’s funny how things come full circle when you look back.
As an undergrad, I didn’t have some grand plan to work in residence life. I stumbled into it — like many of us do. Two weeks into September, our elected RHA president dropped out of school. Suddenly I was stepping into the role — not because I had mapped out a leadership journey, but because the opportunity was there and someone needed to step up.
Becoming an RA wasn’t much different. I applied at the very last minute, mostly because my own RA told me I should. Later, I found out I hadn’t exactly been a top candidate — I didn’t score particularly well in the evaluations and was one of the last picks.
Not exactly the origin story you’d expect.
But sometimes, the paths that feel the least certain are the ones that shape us the most.
In my second year as an RA, something shifted — not just for me, but for how we worked as a team. We moved from pen-and-paper program evaluations and incident reports (and yes, they were literally on paper … I’m dating myself here) to a new electronic system: eRezLife.
At the time, it didn’t feel like a big, industry-defining moment. It was simply a tool built by a Residence Life Manager, Chad, working in our Programming Resource Centre. The goal wasn’t flashy or overly ambitious. It was practical:
Streamline reporting.
Centralize access.
Create efficiencies for staff.
And it worked.
It was different from what we were used to, but it was intuitive. It made our jobs easier. It gave us more time to focus on what actually mattered — our residents and our communities.
Looking back now, it’s wild to realize that I was one of the first to use eRezLife.
At the time, I couldn’t have imagined that years later, I’d be leading the very company behind that tool. That the system we were just beginning to explore would grow into a platform used by institutions across North America and Europe for Residence Life, Assignments, Staff Selection and Room Condition Reporting. That something built out of a simple need for efficiency would become such a critical part of how residence life teams operate.
Over the years, we’ve continued to build on that original vision. What started as a way to simplify reporting has grown into a more comprehensive platform. Not for the sake of adding features, but to reduce the number of tools you need to juggle and to make your work more seamless. The goal has always been the same: make things easier, more connected, and more intuitive for the people doing the work.
In many ways, that origin story still defines who we are.
eRezLife wasn’t created in a boardroom. It wasn’t built from abstract strategy or distant assumptions. It was built by someone in the work, for people doing the work. It came from understanding the day-to-day realities of residence life — the paperwork, the time constraints, the need for clarity, data, and meaningful connection.
That’s something we’ve never lost.
Today, as we continue to grow and evolve, that same philosophy remains at our core. We build with our community, not just for it. We listen. We adapt. We focus on making things better in ways that are meaningful, not just impressive in a demo or on a revenue report.
The goal is still the same as it was back then: make the work easier so you can focus on what matters most.
I may not have been the first choice for an RA but I was one of the first to see what was possible when you see a need, take a chance, believe in people, and stay true to your roots. That’s something I carry with me every day.
Welcome to the community. We’re glad you’re here.
Curious about our services? Schedule a demo and learn how we can make your processes easier.
