Trevecca alumni announced as new resident director of Johnson Hall dorm

By Julia Ballard

Staff writer

After starting the year with no resident director, a recent Trevecca graduate is back on campus leading the women’s dorm. 

Regan Selvidge, a 2023 communication studies graduate, interviewed over the course of two months and was hired to be the Johnson RD  on Oct. 12. 

“I wasn’t necessarily looking to come back to Trevecca. For this job to come on the radar was something I continually prayed about. I knew the Lord would open the right door for me, and there were painfully obvious doors being flung open the whole time,” said Selvidge.

Resident directors supervise all resident assistants, oversee training and development and are responsible for creating community in each residence hall. 

Since the beginning of the academic year, the primarily freshman girls dorm has been without a resident director.

“Truthfully, I’ve not been in this position before, so I was a little leery about this,” said Ronda Lilienthal, associate dean of students for residential life.

Throughout the interview process, Selvidge prayed over the position, the RAs, and Johnson Hall itself.

With the school year in full swing and homecoming approaching, she sat down with her RAs and hit the ground running as the new leader of Johnson Hall. 

“It helps that I am a Trevecca grad and understand the rhythms of campus. I’m not having to learn about the chaos. I just get to learn more about my role as an RD,” said Selvidge.

During her undergraduate time at Trevecca, she was involved in multiple spoken word opportunities, such as All School Praise and Worship, chapels and social media features. She also worked in admissions and as a student associate for the Office of Events and Strategic Initiatives.

At Trevecca each RD has a specific coordinator role ranging from housing coordination like the RD of Georgia Hall or, in Selvidge’s case, coordinating New Student Programs alongside Megan McGhee and Justin Jose. Selvidge helps organize and work events such as orientation, field day, service projects, link class and assists in coordinating the chapel usher team.

“She had some work experiences on campus that we felt might lend themselves to the RD responsibilities, and she knows Trevecca. It helps when there’s someone who is familiar with our institution beforehand,” said Lilienthal. 

Through the interim time of searching for the right fit, student development appointed individuals such as Carolyn Johnson, volunteer and Americorps VISTA Facilitator, and Kathy Gutierrez Eberly, resident director of Tennessee Hall, to be present adults for the residents and resident assistants.

 “It has been a learning experience for all of us,” said Anna Gilbert, a Johnson Hall resident assistant. “I love my team, and Kathy has done an amazing job juggling both Johnson and Tennessee Hall. It’s been great to lean on Tennessee Hall as a support system.” 

Gilbert also expressed her gratitude to the RAs of Tennessee Hall and how they provided comradery and support through the whole process, but she is ready for this new chapter for the girls of Johnson Hall.