By: Tyler Weatherwax

Fort Collins, Colo. — Durward Hall towers houses more than 500 students who attend Colorado State University. This twelve-story tower is one of the biggest structures in Fort Collins.

Having a good community in a city or on a college campus is one of the most essential things that creates a welcoming space for people.

Some of the most important people are those who help the community and bring people together. They solve issues within the community, helping it grow and prosper.

Only some know the work and effort that goes into keeping a community connected and happy. Even fewer may realize how incredible the people who help these communities are.

Colorado State University houses first-year students who are new to the area and to living on their own. Many of these students are not from Fort Collins and are often below the age of 21. Residential assistants help these young adults to stay safe, be responsible, and have a new community.

Riley Budzien, 20, is one of these residential assistants and lives on the twelfth floor of Durward Hall. She is responsible for not only her floor but the entire building during nights duty.

Fort Collins and Colorado State University are in the same community, but they both have smaller communities outside of each other, each with its positives and negatives.

“I think Fort Collins is really good at having a small-town feel in a big town,” Budzien said when asked about her thoughts on what’s good about the Fort Collins community. “A lot of people come here for that very reason.”

Fort Collins has a population of over 168,000 people, with Colorado State University having over 32,000 students. The downtown area of Fort Collins is home to a large portion of that population. This is one of the issues Budzien saw with Fort Collins, saying, “if you’re outside of the downtown area, it’s really hard to make connections.”

So how do a city and college with such large populations create community and a small town feel?

“Some of the ways I help the community in Fort Collins is by creating a safe haven, especially for first-year students,” Budzien said. “When they come in, they don’t have a lot of familiarity with the school, the buildings, and so by giving them a space to build community and get to know one another initially and creating that environment, that allows them to thrive before classes.”

Budzien continued, “it allows them to be more comfortable and work through challenges before certain classes so that they’re already comfortable.”

Budzien also works for the Student Disability Center at CSU, which helps students in need get the resources available to them.

“I also work with students who need accommodations; I make sure they get what they need in order to be successful in the community,” Budzien said.

With the help of people like Riley Budzien, Fort Collins and CSU, can create welcoming and safe communities to help everyone live happier lives.