Kelly Bersett, MBA ’16, was promoted to the role of associate director of Residence Life Jan. 6. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Spanish language and literature from St. Louis University, where she was involved with Residence Life as a student worker, and earned her Master of Education in college student counseling and personnel services from Grand Valley State University. Bersett worked in Residential Life at Valparaiso University before arriving at St. Joe’s in 2008 as assistant director for housing operations. The Hawk spoke with Bersett to learn more about her life and her time at St. Joe’s.
What led you to work at St. Joe’s?
I went to undergrad at St. Louis University, which is a Jesuit institution … [Later in my career] there was a position open at this university in housing operations. I thought, ‘I could go back to a Jesuit school, that would be really amazing,’ because I really enjoyed having that kind of mission and those values being the core of my undergraduate education. And so I came to campus, fell in love with campus. Just like you hear first-year students saying, ‘Oh my gosh, I just came to campus and fell in love with it,’ I experienced that in my professional career and have been here ever since.
What is your main goal as associate director?
I, our whole team and really all of Student Life look at our roles on campus as, students are here to get an education. They’re going to walk away with a degree from their academic program, and what they have learned in the classroom. We represent the education outside of the classroom … Residence Life is really a 24/7 operation. [Students] are coming here after class, and we want to continue to supplement that education, but also make it fun and really create an environment where students can build their own community with our support.
What are you most looking forward to in this role?
Connecting with students in a different way as the leader of an office is really cool. I want to keep continuing to build on the successes that we’ve had in the past, but also finding different ways to connect. Every year is a different student population coming in, and [I’m] continuing to find ways that we can adapt to best connect and make a positive experience for everybody.
What is one fun fact about you that might surprise other people?
Outside of my day-slash-night job, I am involved in community orchestra. I play the violin and the viola.
