For the past few years, Residence Life has housed itself with the rest of the Student Life offices in the Dugan Library. However, over the summer, the program’s leaders decided that it would be beneficial to give the program its own space in Merlini Hall.
Director of Residence Life Lucas Mullin said he believes the move with help strengthen the built in support system that residence life provides for students.
“Our main goal at Newman University – especially student affairs – is the holistic development of students; which means we want to make sure that students are getting the full experience,” he said. “So in order for us to do that, we have to be able to support them.”
Mullin said when administrators began the planning process; they wanted to make sure that residence life was a place where students could feel supported. They felt the best place for that would be moving to Merlini.
“So now instead of just one office, we have a suite of offices,” he said. “We have our main office with our administration, a conference room used for student leaders as well as the rest of the campus community, a Resident Hall Association Office, and a supply and resource room that our on-campus students can access 24/7. So I think for us to be able to do that is an awesome opportunity for us to really support our students for now and also many more years to come.”
Mullin said he hopes to strengthen the Residence Life program this year through its move but also with the “Residence Life Curriculum” being implemented.
“We’re really focusing on relationships,” he said. “Research shows that if you establish relationships, students will be more successful. If you’re invested in them, students will be more invested in the university.”
