For this round of our Student Leader Spotlight, we are showcasing Kylee Acoba, a wonderful, veteran Resident Assistant at Maple Hall! Kylee has gone above and beyond to show love and support to her Maple staff, residents, and family! She is an amazing student leader and you can read more about her below!
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Major: Radio/Television/Film and Spanish
On-Campus Involvement: Residence Life Advisor Council Inclusivity and Diversity Committee Chair, Talons
Why do you choose to be involved as a student leader? Giving back to fellow UNT students, especially underclassmen, gives me great joy and a sense of accomplishment. They (along with my Mamily staff) help me to be a selfless, service oriented person, even more so than I help them.
What have you learned about leadership through your work with others on campus? Like I said, I’ve learned selflessness but also time management! Through my position I’m made more aware of diversity in the world and the injustices that plague much of our culture, even when it trickles down into dorm life. Working in housing has given me something and someone(s) to fight for.
What is your most memorable experience at UNT so far? My most memorable experience would probably be the culmination of my time with other Maple RAs. They are the most caring and funny people I know; they have made my time here unforgettable.
What advice would you give a student who wants to be involved on campus? Do it in any way you can. Even if you think you can’t handle the time commitment, try it out and scale back if you need to. Most likely, though, you’ll find that being a part of student orgs only enriches your academic and overall university experience.
How does being involved in housing complement your academics? It definitely helps me to prioritize my time wisely. Also, because I am a film major, I’m constantly inspired with script ideas or visual images from residents and the residence hall in general.
Who is a role model of yours and why? At the moment I am admiring Ellen Page for her bravery to come out publicly as a way of giving back to the LGBT community and as an example of profound honesty. She also always picks fantastic movie scripts that have tangible life lessons- not so cliché, as other big budget movies tend to be.
Do you have a favorite quote or motto? “There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.” – Ernest Hemingway
What is one project or program you are proud to have helped implement? I’m proud of my “swag 101” program I did my rookie semester. I created a PowerPoint presentation about male fashion with lots of pictures and questions but mainly used it as a springboard for discussion. I asked residents what they thought was fashionable and why, what the ladies appreciated most in male fashion, etc. I also had a few staff members and residents come out in their best outfits and model for us- it was fun and educational!
What or who has been most helpful to you as a student leader at UNT? Stacie Stine and T.J. Zambrano. Period.
“Kylee is a strong leader within Maple Hall, and is using that experience to become more involved with Housing as a whole. She takes time to get to know each of her co-workers on an individual basis, which is no small task on a large staff. She recently made individual cards for each staff member that were funny, personalized, and encouraging. A lot of time was spent making them, but the impact they had was far greater. She is also becoming more involved with RLAC, as she volunteered this semester to be the Diversity Committee Chair. She jumped on board quickly and immediately met with Cherita, who is the RLAC Exec that oversees that committee. Cherita mentioned that Kylee is excited and passionate about the committee and in what she hopes to achieve with it. Kylee is always striving to be positive, even on the tough days. She has a lot of passion for many things: the well-being of others, the Maple community, her major, and especially her family. She makes everyone feel like the individual they are, and not just another face in the crowd. She works hard to be a great RA.” – T.J. Zambrano, Maple Hall Director
We are so proud of Kylee for being a great servant leader in our department! She is a fantastic role model for staff and residents and we are lucky to have her as such a valued veteran RA!
UNT Housing and Residence Life 