Cloistered in a corner office in the Memorial Union basement now sits the office of Curt Lauderdale, the new assistant dean of students for campus life.
Oddly enough, Lauderdale, a Lawrence alumnus, is no stranger to this bit of campus, as dimly lit and ungodly hot as it can sometimes be.
As a student manager of the coffeehouse during his time here, Lauderdale spent hours in this underground gem, some unfortunately spent doing inventory in the back room of the basement.
In addition to this excitement, Lauderdale was heavily involved in residence life while dabbling in music. After graduating in 2001, Lauderdale stayed on as a hall director, spending two years in Plantz and then opening Hiett Hall.
Afterward, armed with a passion for working in student affairs and years of experience, Lauderdale headed to Washington, D.C., where he spent the following four years. There, he pursued a master’s degree in education and human development with concentration in higher education at George Washington University.
During this time, he also worked in residence life at Georgetown, taking on the role of hall director of a 400-person hall.
As a D.C. resident, Lauderdale enjoyed the “important feeling” of the city and had the honor of taking a West Wing tour of the White House.
During his fourth and final year in D.C., he began looking at jobs, stumbling upon the one at Lawrence. In the summer, he moved back, thus beginning his first ever job that was not a live-in affair.
In layman’s terms, Lauderdale’s job involves, among other things, RLA training and programming, LUCC advising, and a ton of student contact.
If you have not seen him around yet, you doubtless will soon. Though you cannot expect natural light if and when you visit his office, you can feast your eyes on a wealth of bouncy balls — 2,500 to be exact — a gift from an RA staff in D.C.
With his new job, Lauderdale enjoys the comfort of walking to work and, alas, also enjoys being able to see what separating his personal life and work is like.
Thus far, this luxury has allowed him to become more well-read, counterbalanced by the guilty pleasure of watching bad TV.
Though he has yet to have much time, he is hoping to do some local travel as well as get home to Elkhorn, Wis. to see his family.
If not in his current occupation, Lauderdale would either be a treasure hunter or bad stand-up comic.
Because choosing between these two occupations may prove too difficult, he just may have to stay here for a while.
Lawrence Welcomes…
