“Chillin with Chipotle” originated due to an email that was sent to Hall Director Kim Kushner about utilizing CU-Boulder’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) to implement a “Bounce Back” type of program for students who struggled during their Fall 2011 semester and are now on academic probation. Kushner sent this information to Terek Campbell and Thomas Konnert, Libby Resident Advisors who are in charge of executing academic-themed programs for their entire residence hall community. Konnert and Campbell then worked with the CAPS staff to arrange a one-hour program focusing on study habits, time management skills, and stress relief techniques. A CAPS liaison named Amanda came in and presented on the aforementioned topics. This program was modeled in a similar structure to a Libby program that occurred in March 2011, wherein residents enjoyed Chipotle and had someone from Student Academic Services Center (SASC) come in and speak about test anxiety.

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“Chipotle? FREE? What do I need to do for a free burrito?”

These words came out of many Libby residents’ mouths when they saw the “Chillin’ with Chipotle” advertisements for this March 2012 program. This program took place on March 15, 2012 in one of the Libby classrooms. About 30 Libby residents attended this program co-sponsored by CAPS, NRHH, the Libby Residential Academic Program, Libby Hall Council, and Libby Resident Advisors Terek Campbell and Thomas Konnert. Throughout this program, CAPS liaison Amanda spoke to residents about study habits, time management skills, stress relief, and other topics that were relevant to students who need some extra help with their academic habits.

Many of the residents who attended this program did not just want free food. The Libby Hall Director and Resident Advisors reached out to them because they were on academic probation, had pending conduct cases and needed community service hours, and/or had other potential issues where talking about the aforementioned items made sense to support them academically and personally at CU-Boulder. Moreover, Amanda gave out many helpful handouts throughout her presentation, which the Hall Director and staff use in one-on-one conversations and passive programming initiatives to further support and build Libby’s co-curricular, living-learning community.

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One of the most important objectives concerns building academic success for all Libby residents. Through partnering with academic organizations (NRHH, Libby Residential Academic Program), RAs Terek Campbell and Thomas Konnert implemented a program that was safe and inclusive for all residents, especially those who were struggling to figure out how to balance academics and personal life during their CU-Boulder experience.

Another goal of this program was mental health/wellness education. By having a CAPS liaison present this information, residents were introduced to this important campus office. Counseling offices are often stigmatized and college students are often afraid or embarrassed to utilize these important services; Campbell and Konnert wanted to challenge this stereotype and allow residents to meet a CAPS staff member in a small-group environment.

Lastly, this program occurred at 8:30pm on a Thursday night. Campbell and Konnert planned this program during this time period to serve as an alcohol/other drug deterrent. Many of the residents who attended this program have had previous conduct issues involving alcohol, marijuana, noise violations, etc. Thus, through giving them an incentive to improve their grades, eat delicious food, and/or get community service hours, this program hopefully provided an intentional alternative for their Thursday night.

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This program had great positive and lasting effects. Firstly, residents who are currently on academic probation or struggling with time management or study skills at CU-Boulder were able to reflect on improving their grades and academic skills in a structured and inclusive environment. They worked with their peers to brainstorm best study practices, and held each other accountable in making personal, academic and leadership goals for their time at CU-Boulder. Moreover, bringing in a CAPS liaison was very beneficial for the Libby residence hall community. Residents were introduced to an important campus office and better understood how to utilize CAPS services throughout their time at college. Lastly, many Resident Advisor staff and the Libby Hall Director still use the handouts from this program during judicial conduct meetings, for passive bulletin board programming, and other educational needs.

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This program was very successful. It can be very difficult to get residents to attend an academically-themed program, especially when it takes place on a weekend evening. However, Terek Campbell and Thomas Konnert worked diligently to create incentives for residents to attend, through delicious food, conduct credit, etc. This program helped residents self-reflect in a structured setting, which can often be difficult for students to find time to do. Moreover, residents learned about best practices to achieve academic success and wellness in their lives, and the CAPS liaison helped to individualize this program to help those with different needs and objectives.

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This program could easily be adapted to other campuses. It is a great program to implement in a residence hall for a first-year student population. This program was meant for students struggling academically and personally, and encompasses themes that are transferable to other campus needs no matter what the student dynamic might be. Moreover, working with the counseling center on campus is always a great idea for a program. Having a trained professional talk about difficult issues such as study skills, time management, and stress relief is a great experience for first-year students to go through, and other campuses can amend the program to better serve the needs of their campus population.

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