Ohio Wesleyan Appoints Director of Residential Life
Brian J. Emerick to Oversee On-Campus Housing Experience for University Students
DELAWARE, Ohio – Ohio Wesleyan University today announced the appointment of Brian J. Emerick as its new director of residential life.
Emerick, M.A., currently serves as the associate director of residential life for staffing and student programs at St. Cloud State University. One of Minnesota’s largest public schools, St. Cloud State serves more than 15,000 undergraduate and graduate students.
At Ohio Wesleyan, Emerick will direct the Office of Residential Life, working with a team to provide a dynamic, energetic, and engaging on-campus housing experience for the university’s 1,600 undergraduate students. Emerick will join Ohio Wesleyan on Jan. 2, reporting to Kristin J. Weyman, M.S.Ed., Ohio Wesleyan’s associate dean for student success.
“About 95 percent of Ohio Wesleyan students live on campus, making their residential experience vital to their satisfaction and success,” Weyman said. “In our search, we sought a director who would bring a visionary approach to residence life and be a constant champion for a positive residential experience for our students. I am confident Brian will provide this leadership at Ohio Wesleyan.”
Emerick joined St. Cloud State in 2010, serving as an area coordinator before becoming its associate director for staffing and student programs in 2013. During his tenure, he has helped to conceive and create five living-learning communities in collaboration with academic department staff and faculty, as well as to implement in-hall tutoring and study groups, student-faculty luncheons, in-hall advising, and additional academic skills programming.
Prior to joining St. Cloud State, Emerick worked at Minnesota’s Augsburg College as a residence hall director and a student leadership development coordinator. Before that, he worked at The University of Iowa as a senior admission counselor/admission counselor.
Emerick earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota and his Master of Arts in student development in postsecondary education from The University of Iowa. He currently is pursuing a Master of Business Administration from St. Cloud State.
Emerick said he looks forward to joining Ohio Wesleyan and helping to ensure a top-notch residential campus experience for OWU students.
“I am a student-centered professional,” Emerick said. “The philosophy of my work is parallel with the practices that guide much of the work done at Ohio Wesleyan: Promoting student success by creating learning experiences that go beyond the traditional classroom, working toward a socially just and caring community, developing responsible global citizens and dynamic leaders, and constructing an inclusive and collaborative living-learning environment. I look forward to helping OWU students make the most of their liberal arts and residential campus experiences.”
Learn more about Ohio Wesleyan and its residential campus experience at www.owu.edu/student-life.
Founded in 1842, Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation’s premier liberal arts universities. Located in Delaware, Ohio, the private university offers more than 90 undergraduate majors and competes in 23 NCAA Division III varsity sports. Through Ohio Wesleyan’s signature OWU Connection program, students integrate knowledge across disciplines, build a diverse and global perspective, and apply their knowledge in real-world settings. Ohio Wesleyan is featured in the book “Colleges That Change Lives,” listed on the latest President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction, and included in the U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review “best colleges” lists. Learn more at www.owu.edu.