Aidan Calderhead ‘24, Mathematics

Aidan Calderhead ‘24, a resident assistant (RA) in Fox Hall, is described by his floormates as friendly and hardworking, but his unique background has made his leadership as a resident assistant different from others who have worked in this role. Calderhead ‘24 was homeschooled and had never lived away from home, so he gained the necessary skills for this role in a short time. 

“When I first started as an RA, I had a very deep insecurity that who I am and what I do wasn’t enough,” said Calderhead.

Calderhead came to Malone because his dad has been a professor on campus for almost 14 years. He grew up around Malone and already had a feeling of community among the people at Malone. A mathematics major, he is confident that he chose the right subject area for his studies. 

“Even during my first semester of college, I knew that I was really good at math, so that gave me confidence in my classes,” he said. “Math connects me with my faith because I can see the world that God created and I feel motivated to discover more about the specific and unique ways our world proves who He is.”

As a new RA, Calderhead was concerned that he might have trouble connecting with his residents because he was homeschooled.

“Since I wasn’t in a school setting with other students, I didn’t have a lot of ways to connect with people,” he said. “I had a lot to learn about how to relate with my peers, like how to balance fun and light hearted conversations with more serious conversations that help me get to know them on a deeper level.”

To help him navigate this new challenge, Calderhead has intentionally worked to create new relationships with those in his building. 

“I am enjoying learning what they like and what we have in common,” he said. “When I was a commuter, I had a difficult time making friends on campus, so my leadership role has increased my confidence level and now I’m better at creating friendships. I know that my work as an RA matters and I want to be someone who others can rely on.”

Calderhead sees his leadership role as an opportunity to serve.

“I’m so grateful for the opportunity to serve my floormates by giving a listening ear or providing support and resources to help them be successful at Malone,” he said. “I have found personal accomplishment in building relationships and navigating conflicts.”