As the new school year began, six new Dana Hall house parents took up residence on campus. Lucy Mull, Priscilla Christie, and Rebecca Toms switched dormitories, and Nathalie Rieder, Lila Douglis, and Caity Sprague were hired as new house assistants.
The Dean of Residential Life, Ms. Donna Corrigan, commented, “House faculty are the backbone of the boarding program. Without them, the boarding program would not be able to work. They guide and mentor the students.”
The three house faculty who switched dorms this year all express excitement at their new situations. Lucy Mull, last year the Johnston A House Assistant and currently the Johnston B House Director, mentioned, “I am very excited for all the changes in house faculty this year.” She also praised the new house assistants, saying, “I’m thrilled to have the new House Assistants on board; they bring a lot of positive energy and residence life experience with them.” She said it was funny moving from Johnston A to Johnston B because all the Johnstons are almost exactly alike. Overall, she said, “I’m very happy with the move and having a great mix of new and returning students. We love to ‘B Together’!”
Another house parent who switched dorms is the Wheeler House Director Priscilla Christie, who used to be the Johnston B House Director. Like Mull, she likes her job as a House Director and is pleased with the move. According to Christie, living in Wheeler gives her more opportunity to see neighbors. She commented, “I very much miss seeing my other Johnston friends, but it’s also been nice to see the on-campus families out and about on a regular basis.”
One of the new house faculty is Lila Douglis, who is the Johnston B House Assistant. Douglis took a couple of weeks to adjust but said, “Dana Hall is a really nice and lively community.” As a new member of Dana Hall community and as a new Johnston B House Assistant, she likes “being part of the support system for the girls and helping them adjust and develop through dorm living.” There are certainly challenges in the job, and Douglas noted, “Some times it’s hard seeing the girls get home sick because I wish I could do more for them.”
Salma Al-Sulaiman ’14, a second-year resident of Wheeler, still misses last year’s house parent, Tina Hussey. “Tina was amazing! … She was always there for us. She was so kind and caring.” She also expressed support for her new house parent, Priscilla Christie. “Priscilla tries her best and lifts up the dorm spirit. She is always into the dorm competitions. She loves the college process and is flexible about our schoolwork and commitment.”
In the words of Corrigan, “the dorms are the developmental classrooms. Students grow and develop living in the dorm while being nurtured and supported by the dormitory faculty.”
Photo: Lucy Mull gathers with residents of Wheeler, her new home. Photo credit: Mi Jeong Jo.
