Junior math major Tyler Sherman is not your average residence assistant. A transfer student from Monroe Community College, he began contributing to Geneseo the moment he arrived. Sherman applied to be an RA only two weeks after starting at Geneseo in the spring 2013 semester. Due to his newcomer status, he failed to receive the position and instead “settled” for hall council president.
Since then, he has served on Nassau Hall’s Inter-Residence Council Executive Board as a national communications major. He co-organized delegations to conferences about programming in residence halls and is a member of the National Residence Hall Honorary.
Sherman now works as an RA in Monroe Hall, where he lived his first semester. Sherman’s enthusiasm and hard work fits his new clients: incoming freshmen.
“I’ve been able to bond with them and act as guidance … I feel like I’ve built a pretty strong community with them,” Sherman said. One of his events involved teaching time management through blowing up water bottles with rubber bands, drawing about 50 participants––a huge number by hall activity standards.
“I do this because it’s a good leadership opportunity for me,” Sherman said. “I’m big on personal development and this is hands-on learning.”
Not only is he extremely active in student affairs but Sherman also has an important role as goalie on Geneseo’s club hockey team.
He began playing on a whim his sophomore year when the actual goalie was unable to play and Sherman stepped up.
“I kind of got thrown into it really fast,” Sherman said. Sherman’s stint as a goalie worked out as he helped to bring his team to the championship round.
Sherman’s contributions to the team are clear both on and off the ice as he helps with various public relations and student association duties.
“I know how to put up posters, I signed us up for a table at the Student Expo … I use my connections to kind of manage the team,” he said.
His student affairs expertise will collide with hockey again this semester when he begins working on the Intercollegiate Athletic Advisory Board, which, among other things, budgets and schedules the varsity hockey games. “I’m a big sports guy, so I think it will be cool to see the background behind it,” Sherman said.
He’s not all work and no play, however. Sherman is a member of the infamous Geneseo Blue Crew, the boisterous row of boys sporting shorts, body paint and not much else at Geneseo Ice Knights home games. He tries to arrange his schedule around Ice Knight hockey and estimates he has only missed three or four games in his Geneseo career.
“That was a huge part of me coming here,” Sherman said. “I love hockey, so I love a school that runs around hockey.
When he first enrolled at Geneseo, Sherman planned on majoring in childhood special education and math but now sees himself going to graduate school for student affairs.
“With all the opportunities I’ve had since I’ve been here, I want to be there for freshmen who are still trying to figure it out,” Sherman said. “I’m starting to see how the school functions and that’s what I want to start doing with my life.”
Favorites Favorite hockey team: Buffalo Sabres Favorite superhero: Spiderman Favorite Geneseo activity: broomball Favorite band: Awolnation Favorite season: autumn