SEAHO Report - Winter 2018 - 7

SEAHO News
Gavin Roark, Virginia Commonwealth University
SEAHO and the housing profession have given me so much over the years. I
started my career in housing as a loud (and, some would say, rowdy) freshman in
Harvill Hall at Austin Peay State University (APSU). During my first semester,
I was elected as Hall Council President and thus, my housing career officially
began. I went on to work as both a Resident Assistant and Hall Director at APSU
before pursing my Master's degree at Mississippi State University (MSU).
After two years in housing at MSU, I landed my first professional position as
Residence Life Coordinator at Wake Forest University. After cutting my teeth
as an entry level professional, I transitioned into an Assistant Director role at
Florida State University. I stayed in this position for five years until 2014, when
I started a new adventure as Senior Associate Director of Residential Life at
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). This exciting opportunity gave me
the chance to provide leadership to a dynamic residence life team. This year I have had the opportunity to take
on a new role at VCU. Most recently, I transitioned to Director of Residential Life & Housing. In this new
Senior Housing Officer (SHO) role at VCU, I have been given the opportunity to provide overall leadership
and management for a department serving 5,300 residents. I feel fortunate to say that I have been professionally
raised in the land of SEAHO. I have worked in housing programs in five of the ten states within our region.
Each of these experiences has helped me gain valuable housing knowledge and has extended my professional
network and involvement.
Housing Association Experience:
* Past SEAHO Conference Coordinator, 2017-Present
* ACUHO-I Exhibits Committee, 2009-Present
* Conference Hosting Manual Task Force, Chair 2017-2018
* Regional Entry Level Institute (RELI) Faculty Member, 2017
* SEAHO 2019-2021 Site Selection Team, 2015-2017
* SEAHO Nominations Committee, 2014-2015
* SEAHO Corporate Partners Committee Chair, 2012-2014
* SEAHO Annual Conference Host Committee, 2013, 2014
* SEAHO Awards Committee Member 2008-2012
* SEAHO Conference Planning Task Force, 2011-2012
* National Housing Training Institute (NHTI), 2011
* ACUHO-I STARS College Committee, 2008-2014
* Advisor Recognition and Training (ART) Certification, 2009
* North Carolina Housing Officers Host Committee, 2008
* SEAHO Graduate Issues and Involvement Committee, 2007-2008
* Regional Entry Level Institute (RELI) Participant, 2007
As I reflect on my professional journey, I think about the mentors, supervisors, and teams that I have worked
with over the years. I believe that people make the difference in an organization and that our work in SEAHO
is driven by the people who support it. The opportunity to serve as the SEAHO President would allow me to
continue to serve and reflect on the many components that impact our region and profession, including:
* What can we do to better align our resources within SEAHO?
* What new programs or practices can we learn to take back to our campus?
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SEAHO Report Winter 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of SEAHO Report - Winter 2018