Saint Mary's recently announced Janielle Tchakerian as the College's new director of residence life.
The enthusiastic director assumed her new position with a few goals in mind.
"In general, I would like to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our processes to better serve the residents," she said. "I look forward to working with the student leaders on campus, such as the resident advisors and the Residence Hall Association, to improve the quality of life for our residents."
Tchakerian said her role as director of residence life will focus on providing leadership for the administration and a sense of community among the college's residence halls.
Tchakerian, originally from Dearborn, Mich,, received her master's degree in higher education from the University of Toledo, in Toledo, Ohio.
The new director came to Saint Mary's after previously serving as the director of Residence Life at Lawrence Technical University in Southfield, Mich., for seven years.
Tchakerian said that she looks forward to working with the college's students because of her own past interaction with her residence life department as a student.
"I have always enjoyed working with college students," she said. "I had a lot of wonderful experiences as an undergraduate student and want to provide similar opportunities for students at Saint Mary's."
Two weeks into her new position, Tchakerian said she feels she has made a smooth transition into the SMC community.
"[My first week] went very well," she said. "Many of the students, faculty and staff stopped by to welcome me."
Tchakerian is married to her husband, Andre, and enjoys scrapbooking and making cards in her spare time.
