Linnae Rodriguez ’17

This swim team member had to learn where the line lies between friendship and her duties as a community assistant.


Linnae Rodriguez ’17 has learned a lot about leadership while working as a community assistant in a University of Redlands residence hall.

"Learning to create that boundary between friend and community assistant is hard because it's a 24-7 job," she says. "One of my greatest skills now is knowing when it's time to get serious and when it's time to have fun."

A community assistant is a student who lives in a residence hall and helps students in various ways, including mediating conflicts, organizing activities and being a role model. They're also charged with patrolling the halls and enforcing University policies.

Though this is a delicate balancing act, it's been a rewarding experience for Linnae. "It's nice to meet the entire freshman class," she says. "I know everyone who lives in my hall."

The quality of life she and her friends enjoy living on campus is one of Linnae's favorite things about Redlands. She is a member of the swim team and loves joining excursions with Outdoor Programs or hanging out on campus with her friends.

"One of my favorite things about Redlands is the environment," she says. "You can go outside, sit on the quad under an oak tree and do your homework because there's wifi there."