Three new residence hall directors have been hired at Kent State University for the spring 2015 semester.

The RHDs have been hired to oversee Stopher and Johnson halls, Lake and Olson halls, and Leebrick and Korb halls, respectively.

Jill Church, residence services director for Kent State, said applicants for the RHD position are required to have a master’s degree. Once hired, they go through orientation, crisis response training and social justice training to create awareness in the differences among the student population.

Meghan Miller, the new RHD for Stopher and Johnson halls, is from Transfer, Pennsylvania. She received a master’s degree in student affairs in higher education at Slippery Rock University.

Miller has worked in higher education positions at Slippery Rock University, Colorado Mesa University and California University of Pennsylvania where she was attracted to the student conduct aspect of the job.

“I think here on campus some people get caught for some mistakes and it’s a huge learning opportunity for them, and even if they get documented multiple times, I like having those conversations with them to really help them become a better person and give them a different education,” Miller said.

Chris Owens started at Kent State Upward Bound in September 2013 and moved to be the new RHD of Leebrick and Korb halls. Owens received his master’s in higher education with a concentration in student affairs at Eastern Michigan University.

Diane Platton, the Lake and Olson RHD, is from Canfield, Ohio. She received her master’s in higher education administration from the University of Akron.

Platton formerly worked in higher education as a graduate residence director at the University of Akron and a hall director at Ferris State University.

It can be important for RHDs to find a balance between work and life as a stress reliever since they both live and work on campus.

Miller enjoys traveling on weekends to get off campus. One thing she is looking forward to is visiting her sister and brother-in-law who live in Strongsville.

Owens enjoys running in his spare time because it helps him think more clearly. He has participated in the Rite Aid half marathon and the Rock and Roll half marathon in Cleveland.

Platton separates herself from her job by working out and knitting as stress relievers.

“Of course it’s important to take that downtime to refresh because I’m not going to be any good to anybody if I’m stressed out,” Platton said.

To learn more about residence services, visit www.kent.edu/housing. 

Contact Lauren Biertempfel at [email protected].