North Dakota State’s Residence Hall Association won big at the No Frills Midwest Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls conference this year.

NDSU won the organization’s School of the Year award, as well as the First Year Experience Award, the Mable Strong Advisor of the Year award, the NRHH Excellence in Service award, the NRHH Outstanding Chapter award and the NRHH President of the Year award, RHA president Lauren Hopke said.

Hopke said that highlights of the weekend include winning all but one award, taking a trip to the St. Louis Arch and many hours of discussion on regional legislation to improve the Midwest region of the National Association of College and University Residence Halls.

Winning the awards was all that NDSU brought home, but it does increase recognition for NDSU which “helps immensely”, Hopke said.

Hopke traveled to the conference in February at the Missouri University of Science and Technology.

There, they submitted a 30-page bid discussing RHA and the National Residence Hall Honorary’s involvement on the NDSU campus, within the region and the nation, Hopke said.

Hopke along with Brandon Schner, RHA vice president, Sydney Arends, RHA public relations, Kelsey Fitterer, NRHH vice president, and Josh Krank, RHA administrator had written the bid based off of events that RHA and NRHH had put on.

The theme of the bid was “Roadtrip to BisonNation”, Hopke said.

At the conference, bids compete against other schools within the region and are voted on by the presidents of every school represented in the MACURH region, Hopke said.

NDSU’s bids are currently being revised, and will compete against other regions winners this June at the NACURH conference.

“RHA is very proud of the successful year we’ve had,” Hopke said.

RHA is made up of representatives from each of NDSU’s 12 residence halls. The organization meets weekly Monday nights to discuss student leadership on campus.