Football and Dorm Life: Michael Ruttlen Jr.

Michael Ruttlen, Jr. has a lot on his plate.

Named a captain of the football team, Ruttlen is a veteran among a secondary group that graduated Delan Stallworth, Christian Brown, Matthew Winston, Trevor Forbes, and Sultaan Shabazz in 2022. The Tigers are looking for their second straight Ivy League title, something they have only done once in program history (1963-64). Princeton begins their march for a conference crown Saturday at Columbia.

Ruttlen is not just a football player. He's a Residential College Advisor (RCA) at the Butler College on campus.

There is much involved with being a RCA.

No, it's not just about yelling about loud music in the hallways.

Ruttlen hosts weekly study breaks for the 26 students he advises and is a liaison for them with other campus groups like the McGraw Center, Share Peers, and CPS.

To become a RCA is not easy. The senior, who was also one as a junior, had to fill out an application with eight questions that described himself before being interviewed individually and then as a group.

Becoming a RCA for Ruttlen comes from an interesting perspective.

"As a freshman, I didn't like my RCA, said the 2021 Ivy League Champion. "It felt like a person who was there to police. My RCA was too serious, and I didn't really enjoy the experience. Going through the application process, I wanted to be the RCA who had been through a lot of stuff on campus especially with different communities."

When Ruttlen introduced himself to the students at Butler College, he made sure to harp on the fact that everyone is not perfect. "I preached that you're going to make mistakes," said the senior defensive back. "My first ever C was in college. I tried to relate to them so they could see another peer instead of someone who was just there to monitor them."

With the time consumption that it takes to be a RCA, the molecular biology major is reliant on a routine to balance his work. "Last year (44 students) was probably the hardest so I knew what to expect," said Ruttlen about this academic year. "Being in football helps me schedule things and I like to follow a set schedule that I plan out every day."

Being an RCA has provided tremendous value for Ruttlen. "I see the freshman and how excited they were, and it reminded me of when I was in their place," said the 2022 William B. Campbell Trophy semifinalist. "I'm a person who can help guide them and that they've been receptive to my knowledge and that's been enjoyable for me."

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Christian Brown

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