Student Engagement and Residence Life have merged to form Campus Life, but not without a reshuffling of responsibilities and duties.

The department, formally known as Campus Ministry, converted into Mission Integration and Student Life. The departments are known as Student Engagement and Residence Life now make up Campus Life. The Insalaco Center for Career Development has been renamed the Insalaco Center for Career and Professional Development and Leadership.

Working in the newfound office of Campus Life is Dominic Matteo, Area Coordinator of Residence Life, and Director Angelo Nudo. Alongside the two gentlemen is Darcy Brodmerkel as Director of Student and Family Programming. Another key contributor in the office of Campus Life is Amy Lahart, Vice President of Student Integration and Student Programming.

There are many branches throughout the office of Campus Life, including smaller departments such as student and family programming and Mission Integration and Student Life. This allows the office of Campus Life and individuals, like Nudo and Matteo, to assist students in more than just residential services. When asked what excites him regarding new opportunities brought on by this merger, Nudo stated, “We’re excited about this opportunity! We were asked to take on the social life in the engagement of the entire campus and focus on it more broadly than just in our residential building.”

One new position starting September 20th is Associate Vice President for Mission Integration and Institutional Diversity. When asked what this person will be responsible for Lahart stated, “..as the position title signifies, she’ll be my Associate Vice President working with me on mission integration activities. The bulk of the job is working with our partners on campus, both administrators, our presidents, cabinet, faculty, and staff on advancing our initiatives to promote diversity equity and inclusion on campus.”

When propositioned with what plans and decisions were made that led to the merger, Vice President for Mission Integration & Student Life. “I think it was the university looking at opportunities for what we have learned through Covid. A position for mission integration and Student Life gave us an opportunity to leverage the significance of mission and the student experience on our campus,” stated Lahart. When asked the same question, Nudo stated, “…The connection with the family piece… There was never really anyone to concentrate on all of that in our division. Now we have someone to focus on connecting our families with the information about what is going on campus ….”

Where would someone go if they needed help with something previously addressed by the once separate departments? Nudo responded, “It would obviously depend on the issue or concern that you were bringing forward. So, if it was a housing-related or looking for information on what’s happening on campus or how to get involved, my office will do a number of those things in Campus Life.” Nudo went on to list various other organizations on campus that can answer any questions people may have, such as but not limited to the Student Government Association and the Insalaco Center.

Regrading how this merger will impact staff and students, Lahart stated, “I don’t think it really changes how they engage with us. I think much of what we’re talking about are systematic changes within a division that has been functioning where faculty and staff already know where to go.”

Any new change can bring challenges. “One of the challenges that I feel right now in terms of leading the division is for open staff positions because we need additional folks in order to staff properly.” Lahart commented, “We have a number of positions that are open… we have a position that’s open in institutional diversity. We have a position that is open in the Insalaco Center for career and professional development.”

Despite the challenges, there’s much to feel proud of this new merger. “I’m proud of the folks that I work with…the way my colleagues in these two divisions have embraced this change and see the real potential,” Lahart stated. Regardless of the nuances that arose, Lahart expressed her gratitude for all her colleagues’ hard work and support to make this change happen. The overall goal of this new change is for “The student experience and the mission experience to be really beneficial for everybody across the campus,” commented Lahart.