Jill Rader is the new Area Coordinator here at Castleton University. She grew up in Ashland, OH, and attended the University of Mount Union in Alliance, OH, where she majored in sports business, minored in business administration and health, and lived for seven years before moving to Vermont.

Q: What do you think of Castleton?

            A: I need to make this answer good, right? I have really enjoyed the people that I work with as well as the students that I have interacted with.

Q: Knowing you love Ohio, what brought you here to Vermont?

            A: I’ve always wanted to move to the East Coast. I’m a huge UConn women’s basketball fan. The east coast has always kind of attracted me.

Q: What is Castleton like compared to your alma mater?

            A: It’s pretty similar in relation to how active the campus is. Castleton is a little smaller, probably about a thousand students smaller, but pretty relative in size.  Athletics were really important at my alma mater. Our football team had won twelve national championships, so it seems like athletics are pretty important here.

Q: What’s awesome about being an AC?

            A: What’s awesome about being an AC is interacting with the students, and knowing them on a personal level, or even a professional to student level.

Q: What don’t you like about being an AC?

            A: It’s unfortunate when we have to document students, but I believe that the documentations can turn into an educational and learning experience for the students. It has its pros and cons.

Q: What is the difference between being a hall director and an area coordinator?

            A: They’re actually pretty similar. Pretty much the same responsibilities, other than the name difference. At my previous institution, there were ten resident directors. Here we have two area coordinators and the assistant director as well as the director.

Q: You were an assistant coach in softball at Mount Union. Any plans to do anything with sports here?

            A: Actually, I’m meeting with the head softball coach today to potentially volunteer, put in some time with the softball team.

Q: Are you a baseball fan?

            A: I am.

Q: You probably are a fan of the Cleveland Indians or Cincinnati Reds.

            A: Right, the Indians, definitely.

Q: What’s it like being in Red Sox territory?

            A: Well, I haven’t really come across any Red Sox fans, although I’m a huge Cleveland fan in all aspects. I think the biggest issue right now is the Browns. The Browns are not too good, so that seems to be much of the hassle that I get, about the Browns. The Indians are doing well, and I know the Red Sox are doing well, so if it comes down to post season and it’s the Red Sox and the Indians, going to have to go with the home town.

Q: That question actually helps lead into my next one. What if Castleton goes up against your alma mater?

            A: You know, if Castleton goes up against my alma mater… you know I spent the last three years working at my alma mater, too… I would definitely be indifferent. I would have to cheer for both teams.

Q: What about in softball, since you’re planning on coaching them?

            A: You know, I would hope that Castleton, whom I was helping coach, would win. I hope both teams play well, I just hope that Castleton would come out on top. I wish Mt. Union well in everything that they do except if they were ever to play Castleton. Sorry, Mount Union.

Q: You live in a dorm here on campus, correct?
            A: Correct.

Q: Did you live in a dorm at Mt. Union when you worked there?
            A: I did, yeah.

Q: How do the two dorms compare?

            A: They’re pretty similar in size. I know that the oven here is bigger here than the one at my previous institution. I couldn’t fit a cookie sheet inside, so we always used to joke that it was an Easy Bake oven. That’s the only difference.

Q: Where do you see yourself in ten years?

            A: That’s like a million dollar question. Definitely working in higher education in student life. Maybe the director of residence life at an institution.

Q: This last one might be a little bit difficult. Tell me something about you nobody would guess.       

            A: Oh wow… No one would guess? Let’s see here. I guess before moving here I only lived in Vermont once, but that’s not very exciting. I can try to give you something exciting for the paper… I could say that I was a three sport athlete in high school. I played volleyball, basketball, and softball.