Cody Miller, the new Residence Life coordinator for Schlosser, Elizabeth Myer and B. Mary Royer residence halls at Elizabethtown College, is no stranger to attending and serving academic institutions who place “educating for service” at the forefront of their primary educational goals for students. Miller graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Messiah College, in Grantham, Pa., where he said there was a strong emphasis on community involvement and the importance of service. “My time as an undergraduate student at Messiah College fostered an appreciation for the importance of community and the value of service, which contributes significantly to the work I do at Elizabethtown College,” he said.
Miller’s position as coordinator for three residence halls includes working closely with student resident assistants to help build a sense of community, student safety and commitment to learning among resident students. Miller also meets with students who have concerns about residential life on campus or who are experiencing conflict in their residential environment; he is part of an on-call professional staff member rotation that responds to student concerns across campus at all hours.
Additionally, Miller co-advises the Class of 2018 Senate, works with faculty and staff members who advise E-town’s Living-Learning Communities and encourages positive decision-making with students who find themselves involved in conduct evaluation proceedings. “The most difficult part of the job is balancing the administrative elements of the role with interacting directly with residential students, which is a struggle that RAs also face,” Miller said. “It takes intentionality, but I strive to seize as many opportunities as I can to get to know the students who live in the Dell Community Residence Halls.”
“It takes intentionality, but I strive to seize as many opportunities as I can to get to know the students who live in the Dell Community Residence Halls.”
A graduate with a master’s degree in higher education and student affairs administration from Baylor University in Waco, Texas, Miller knew post-grad that he wanted to work in a field that could help him “maximize the learning and development of students” in ways that were similar to his undergraduate experience at Messiah College. Because of his background as an undergraduate psychology major and his involvement with education-based internships and formative experiences like study abroad, Miller found his master’s education to be a seamless blend of his academic interests.
“The most significant element of my degree plan was researching and developing methods to encourage learning in all aspects of a college experience, including cocurricular realms such as Student Activities, Religious Life, Student Wellness, and Residence Life,” he said. As an area coordinator, his hope is to “build on the strong educational framework” of Residence Life and to continue to find ways to encourage the students of his residence halls to involve themselves in the community and enrich their learning experience.
Hoping to utilize the skills and research he’s gleaned from his education, Miller acknowledges that Residence Life is “always seeking out ways to enhance residential living at E-town” and that he is “excited to be a part of that commitment to ongoing quality improvement.” These improvements include transitioning Myer into a building-wide liberal arts residence this academic year, which has led to increased student activities such as community dinners, regular presentations – dubbed “Fantabulous Fridays,” in which faculty and staff members present on their academic expertise and passions – structured opportunities to study and connect with learning support services and “Hump Day Café,” for which faculty and staff members hold office hours in Myer. Miller said he and his team will also be implementing a student coordination council for the liberal arts residence beginning in the spring 2015 semester.
“Personally, I would like to develop additional opportunities for residents in the Dell Community Residence Halls to collectively engage in service in the community,” Miller said. He is also interested in encouraging students to take on more leadership roles. “I am more than open to hearing suggestions from students regarding their hopes for the future of their residential experience,” he said.
In his spare time, Miller lives an active lifestyle – running, cycling and kayaking. “I also love TED Talks, Law and Order SVU, traveling and coffee shop concerts,” he said. “I try to read as much as I can – I recently started On the Road by Jack Kerouac – and I try to stay up-to-date on trends in the psychology community.” Miller said he enjoys working on campus, from the smell of chocolate on the wind from M&M Mars to the beautiful scenery. “I appreciate the sense of community on campus and the spirit of collaboration that exists between departments,” he said. And, ultimately, “my favorite part of the job is working with resident assistants – they’re outstanding, and they care a great deal about what they do.”