At Randolph-Macon Academy, life in our dorms is a key aspect of our student culture. Living on-campus allows students at our boarding school to not only continue their personal development, but bond with their fellow classmates as well. Our Residential Life Program can help you grow into a confident, independent young adult before beginning life at a post-secondary institution. With CLSs (Cadet Life Supervisors) acting as the dorm halls’ leaders (in addition to student leaders), you will be living in a supportive environment that motivates you to succeed academically, bond with schoolmates, and develop your self-growth!
If you’re thinking about attending school at R-MA, here’s what you can expect from our dorm life!
It’s an Opportunity for Students to Build Character Outside the Classroom
Randolph-Macon Academy prides itself on how we consider residential life as an extension of classroom life. This is because life in our dorms allows students to become more self-assured before beginning life in college, by engaging in a curriculum that helps them develop greater maturity and capacity for leadership, decision-making, and self-governance. Under the supervision and guidance of various adult figures—including athletic coaches, R-MA graduates, and more—who speak a total of seven languages other than English—you and your peers will live in an environment that encourages you to develop your character and principles.
There are two dorm halls at our private academy: Sonner-Payne Hall and Turner Hall. Sonner-Payne Hall is where most male cadets live, while Turner Hall is home to female cadets. For both dorm halls, rooms host two students each, and there is either a communal area or private lounge for recreation. R-MA dorms come equipped with Internet, air conditioning, and heating. You will also have access to a Night Study Hall on-campus, which is open for two hours in the evenings between Sunday and Thursday of each week. By living in our dorms, students get to bond with each other both inside and outside of class and develop friendships that can last a lifetime.
The Residence Life Curriculum Is Another Extension of R-MA’s School Life
Our weekly Residential Life Curriculum is another method through which students develop themselves outside of their academic life at R-MA. Students at our boarding school work in collaboration with CLSs to become more independent and better communicators in order to improve both their performance in school and their sense of autonomy. CLSs are there to talk about a wide range of topics to foster self-growth, including building relationships, tolerance and diversity, time management, the honor code, being a better roommate, and how best to develop leadership skills. If you cannot easily return to your hometown on weekends, you will also get to engage in weekend activities, including excursions such as ski trips, visits to museums, bowling, trips to amusement parks, seeing plays, and attending sporting events.