Carrie Fox ’09 has returned to Denison as the Assistant Director of Residential Communities. During the 2016-2017 academic year, she served in an interim capacity and has now stepped into the permanent position.
Carrie graduated from Denison with a B.A. in both Communication and Psychology. During her time on the Hill, she served as a Resident Assistant (RA), was a member of several student organizations, and participated in many activities across campus. After graduating from Denison, Carrie went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, and subsequently, to practice as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), working with people of all ages. Now, she’s joining our Denison team, within the re-envisioned department of Residential Communities. The department hopes to reimagine residential halls as a place where community development, responsibility, and support are emphasized, on both an individual and interpersonal level.
When asked about her decision to return to Granville, Carrie cited her enduring “fond memories of [her] Denison experience.” As for returning to Denison as a staff member, Carrie admitted that it “was a little strange at first to walk the same paths in a much different role than when [she] was a student. At the same time, it felt a little like coming home. It has been exciting to be back on campus and investing in the lives of Denison students.” Carrie’s decision to continue at Denison was due to her positive experiences with student staff-members and their residents. Carrie’s student staff members reciprocate the sentiment.
When asked about his experience working with Carrie, Paul Haddad ’18, a Residential Communities student staff member (Head Resident), complimented Carrie’s “ability to have fun but also her optimistic attitude and support. No matter what the problem, she was ready and willing to help.”
During Carrie’s time as a student, the department was known as Residential Life. Carrie is excited about the department’s transition from Residential Education and Housing to Residential Communities, where residence halls will aim to feel more like a neighborhood where “community members feel invested in their personal and common spaces as well as their relationships with others.” She wants to see community members involved in conversations about what they want to see happen in their spaces, programmatically and structurally, to make it feel more like home. Carrie views the shift to Residential Communities as an opportunity to create a sense of home, while also empowering students to come together to creatively solve community concerns.
It is undoubtedly an exciting time for all staff members who work in or with residential hall communities, and having Carrie along for the ride will be invaluable in navigating that process. After all, Carrie has been described by her staff member, Paul, as “one of the most caring people I have ever met.” Paul continues, “When meeting with her or just seeing her around, she is always welcoming with a warm smile. She is easy to talk to and [is very] empathetic.” With Denison’s focus on mentorship and our relational culture, Fox is sure to fit right in.
On her part, Carrie is excited to be back in the village of Granville and to be part of the Denison and Granville communities. Reflecting back on what she wishes she had known as a student, Carrie wishes that she had been more confident, in both her role as a student, and as a student staff member, while attending Denison. She also wishes she had packed even more into her time on the Hill. Most importantly, perhaps, Carrie said, “I wish that I had known that it’s okay to make mistakes and that everyone struggles. It is how you respond to those difficult times that matters most.” Denison students will benefit from Carrie’s mentorship and wisdom.
Carrie welcomes the chance to get to know students, so feel free to stop by for coffee or just a conversation. When she isn’t in her Curtis Community Center office or in one of the East Quad communities, you might find Carrie on the sand volleyball court.
