Student Life Officers & Well-Being Team
Support for both mental and physical health
The Student Life Officers and the Well-Being Team help to maintain a safe, secure, pleasant and positive living environment for the whole AUC community. Headed by the Student Life Officers, the team includes a Graduate Assistant to the Student Life Officers, Resident Assistants and Peer Supporters. In addition to paying attention to welfare and safety, the Well-Being Team also has a role in creating greater social cohesion in the campus community and occasionally organises small activities towards this goal, supported by a modest social budget.
Student Life Officers
Aino Kekkonen and Lisa van Berkel are AUC's Student Life Officers. Their role is to strengthen the residential community at AUC and advise AUC on policies and support systems for student well-being. They are responsible for developing and coordinating the work of the Well-Being Team, including the Graduate Assistant to the Student Life Officers, Resident Assistants (RAs) and Peer Supporters.
Aino and Lisa are the first points of contact at AUC for support on all issues related to student life and they are available to meet with students individually to offer support and advice on all student life concerns. Topics that they can help with include stress management, mental health (such as anxiety or depression), lack of motivation, study skills, family or relationship problems, residential life issues (including problems with a roommate), financial questions and more.
Make an appointment
To schedule a meeting or consult with Aino or Lisa please use the reservation system:
Please keep in mind:
- In the reservation system, you will be asked to make a choice for a 30-minute time slot. If you would like the full hour, please reserve two time slots.
- At the staff toggle, you can choose to meet with either Aino or Lisa for your student meeting.
- You will automatically receive a Teams link for your meeting in the calendar invite.
- Optional: When making a reservation, you may add any questions or comments that are relevant to the meeting in the notes section.
- Our meeting can take place either online or in person.
- If you are unable to make it, please cancel your reservation two hours prior to your reservation.
Need to get in touch quickly?
If you would like to urgently get in touch with the Student Life Officers, or if there isn’t a suitable time in the reservation system, please feel free to send an email to studentlifeofficer@auc.nl.
Open office hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday from 12.30 to 13.30
The Student Life Officers host open office hours Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday from 12.30 to 13.30 in Room 3.22. On Monday and Tuesdays, Lisa van Berkel has office hours; on Thursdays and Fridays you can find Aino Kekkonen in the office.
Who are the Student Life Officers?
Well-Being Team
The AUC Well-Being Team consists of Graduate Assistants to the Student Life Officer, Resident Assistants, Peer Supporters and the Student Life Officers.
Information, events and initiative from the Well-Being team are often shared via their Instagram account: AUC Well-Being Team (@aucwellbeingteam).
Graduate Assistant to Student Life Officer
Casey Ansara is AUC’s Graduate Assistant to the Student Life Officer. Her role entails assisting the Student Life Officers on matters of general health, well-being and support in the AUC community. You can contact her via c.m.ansara@auc.nl.
Resident Assistants
Living in the AUC dorms, RAs have an important role in welfare, safety, and discipline in the residences. They receive training in general peer-support (listening, questioning and responding skills), as well as basic First Aid and what to do in an emergency. They are appointed by AUC and report to AUC and DUWO. Do not hesitate to contact them via
- Instagram: @auc.ra
- Facebook: Carolina Macgillavrylaan
- Email aucresidentassistant@gmail.com
- In an emergency call 06 50 44 93 38
- Or approach them in person in the dorms or while they are doing their rounds!
The role of the RAs is to maintain contact with AUC students in the AUC residences and offer a listening ear and support, striving towards improving the welfare and well-being of students and the campus community in general, as well as paying attention to the welfare of individual students. They help maintain a safe, secure, pleasant and positive environment for all residents and create greater social cohesion in the campus community.
Peer Supporters
Peer Supporters are an ancillary source of support for current students from fellow current students who have had training in listening and helping skills. "Your warm cup of tea on a cold rainy day". Through active listening and offering emotional support, they will try to help you clarify your concerns and options for yourself and reach your own solutions, so you can decide what you need to do next. Peer Supporters are also available to help with smaller or practical issues such as requesting rent benefit, getting to know others, making a Board of Examiners request, and grocery shopping for those who are quarantining or unable to do so themselves for any other reason. Peer Support furthermore focuses on strengthening the AUC community, offering a safe space to meet others and be yourself through their many events.
Do not hesitate to contact them with your problems or concerns, large or small.
- Instagram: @aucpeersupport
- Facebook: AUC Peer Support
- Email: peersup.auc@gmail.com
- Or approach them in person!
Your conversations with a Peer Supporter are confidential. A Peer Supporter would only break confidentiality in extreme circumstances, if they’re worried about your safety or the safety of others. Please be mindful that while Peer Supporters are available for a wide range of support needs, they remain students and not paid professionals.