Louisa Chiriboga ’29 & Phoebe Schwab ’29
Copy Editor & Copy Editor Intern
Mary Elizabeth Kimberly Hall, known simply as Kimberly (and affectionately nicknamed ‘Kimbo’ by its residents), is one of Scripps College’s smaller residence halls, consisting mostly of singles and first-year triples. Because of this, resident coordinator Nawal Hassan ’27 and community coordinators Geeta Karlcut ’26 and Ryann Beckham ’27 prioritize fostering community within the hall.
As CCs, Karlcut and Beckham plan three residence hall events each semester, manage two ‘Wednesdays We Wear Green’ tables, and orchestrate two to three OSE events. One event from this year that Karlcut enjoyed organizing was Screen on the Green, where first-years gathered on the Elm Tree Lawn to watch “Moana” during orientation week.
Kimberly is not the first residence hall that Karlcut has served as CC for. “[My RC and CC] really helped me in my freshman year, so I wanted to do the same,” Karlcut said. In their sophomore year, they signed up for the job to build small communities within a school that is known for its lack of dorm culture.
Beckham shared a similar regard for her past community coordinators. “I admired the work that the CCs I knew did; I was so impressed by how they made connections with their fellow students,” Beckham said. “In college environments, it can be hard for students to feel really connected to their college, friend groups can become really clique-y, so I love bringing people together and having fun.”
Both community coordinators share two main goals: gathering people and having a good time. Two events that Karlcut and Beckham have hosted were Cookies & Collages and Shakes & Charades. “I love holding these events because they are an opportunity to get to know a lot of people and build community,” Karlcut said. “I love seeing people come to the events to get to know them and say hi … I make a point to learn their names.”
Additionally, Beckham recognized how strange the transition to college can be, making it a priority to foster a community in which Scripps truly feels like home. “It’s just a really fun role, but I also want to help people, especially freshmen just coming in, I want to make sure they have the best possible experience at Scripps,” they said.
For Cookies & Collages, hosted on Sept. 30, the two CCs ordered Insomnia Cookies and provided a myriad of collaging materials for residents to use as they mingled. Shakes & Charades, hosted towards the beginning of the school year on Aug. 29, allowed students to make their own milkshakes and partake in a game of “Heads Up!” charades.
“We have to come up with a clever name for it, but we also have an upcoming charcuterie and board game event sometime in November,” said Karlcut. Together, the Kimberly and Wilbur CCs meticulously plan for their residents, thinking one step ahead, as Beckham toys around with the event name of “Boards & Boards.”
Hassan holds a resilient love for Kimberly Hall, which her residents do not always match. Their usual complaints are the same: power outages, lockouts, loud dumpster trucks in the morning, and the occasional weird smell in the recreation room. Despite the facilities being a bit dated, Hassan makes up for it in her residence coordination.
Hassan has explored all that residential life has to offer, from being a resident herself to serving as a Toll Hall CC in her sophomore year, and most recently, as Kimberly Hall RC. “My freshman RC was my absolute role model, so I wanted to get into [residential life], and I became a CC.”
Still, Hassan felt that she could become even more involved in the residential community. “I felt that I could give even more to my community, so I felt like RC would be the next stepping stone,” she said. Hassan emphasizes the importance of her role to her and her happiness in sharing resources with her residents.
When asked what her favorite part of being a resident coordinator was, Hassan answered immediately. “The residents, obviously!” she said. “Nothing is better than when a Kimbo resident stops me on campus to say hi! I want to hear about your life, talk about your day; I just love making friends.”
Hassan also shared her appreciation for both the social and creative aspects of her role. “I like putting on my own little community hour event — I got to choose the theme!” she said. The bulletin board at the Kimberly entrance has been freshly revamped for November, allowing residents to flip open a new tab to get their daily motivation, featuring a fan favorite quote from Leslie Knope, from “Parks and Recreation”: “If there is a law against friendship, lock us up!”
“The whole [Residential Life] team is amazing; they pick the most considerate, enthusiastic, and well-meaning people,” Hassan said. While the Kimberly Hall residential and community coordinators check off all those boxes and more, the same can be said for each hall. We are surrounded by an amazing group of people hired to support us. Each member of Residential Life guarantees a friendly, familiar face around campus eager to help, so next time you pass by one, say hi! They don’t bite!
Photo Courtesy of Kate Prince ’29
