Rod 萨奥尔 named 住房和居住生活’s first 杰出校友奖 recipient

1966年秋天, Rod 萨奥尔 stepped onto the 雅典 bricks and joined the newbb电子平台 Bobcat family as a first-year student. 52年后, 萨奥尔’s 俄亥俄州 story continues as the first recipient of 住房和居住生活’s (HRL) 杰出校友奖.

HRL established the 杰出校友奖 as a way to recognize the outstanding accomplishments of 俄亥俄州 alumni who have been employed by 住房和居住生活. 有资格获得这个奖项, individuals must demonstrate exceptional achievement in their chosen profession as well as meaningful impacts to their local and global communities.

萨奥尔, 1971年newbb电子平台毕业生, was employed by 居住生活 (住房和居住生活 were separate departments during this time) as both a student and a professional staff member. 在newbb电子平台毕业后, 绍尔在雅典从事银行业工作, 他总是和学校保持联系. 在他的银行业生涯中, 萨奥尔 was invited to return to 俄亥俄州 to teach workshops to seniors about managing finances after graduation.

萨奥尔 was integral in creating the Bank One Coats for Kids coat drive. 在这个为期12年的项目中, / 4,000 coats were donated to children and their families through the local K-12 schools. 直到今天, 萨奥尔 continues to work with his church to raise funds for local non-profit organizations that are making a positive impact in the 雅典 community.

以下是对绍尔的采访节选, 回忆他在newbb电子平台的住宿生活.

What staff positions did you hold during your time with 住房和居住生活?

我参加了两次住宿生活. I was a resident assistant in Perkins Hall, second floor, my junior year. 那一年的三月, the resident director (RD) was drafted to serve in Vietnam, so the assistant resident director (ARD) moved up to RD and I became the ARD. 大四的时候，我也是布朗学院的助理院长，住在120室.

After graduating in 1971, I worked as an elementary school teacher for a couple of years. Then my second tour started when Bob Hynes (former director of 居住生活) asked me to come back to be a resident director. 我做了两年的住院主任.

我经历过洪水, 骚乱, 罢工, the closing of the school and four different presidents at OU.

告诉我们你作为住院主任的经历.

At the time, Jefferson was an all-male hall―325 freshman guys! And, I got married just two weeks before we opened the hall for fall quarter!

我有八名助理助理. 我希望我们的关系从团队开始, a community where we could all be comfortable as to what we were and where we were from, 但我们仍然是一个团队.

I wanted to carry that over to the students in the dorm. 我想要一种社区、团结和纽带的感觉. 我的目标是知道他的名字, 房间和家乡的每一个居民都是如此，不仅仅是我自己, 但是我的员工, 能和这些人有什么联系吗. I used to roam the halls every night, sit in rooms or lobbies to meet with guys and relate. I think knowing the names made the guys more accountable in the long run―accountable to studies, interactions and enjoyment of their years at newbb电子平台.

在你的工作中，你最自豪的是什么?

当时我是珀金斯学院的注册院长, all three quarters the residents had the highest cumulative GPA of any male freshman dorm. 然后, 当我回到杰斐逊大厅工作时, 再一次。, all three quarters of that year they earned the highest GPA of any freshman men’s dorm. I, along with my staff, stressed the importance of studies. 同时，我也为我和同龄人之间建立的纽带感到自豪.

Have you been able to stay connected with your co-workers and peers?

哦,是的. 尤其是我在帕金斯大厅RD的时候. I have made contact with most of my RA’s through social media. This summer the freshmen guys had their 40th reunion back on campus, 他们邀请我加入他们. 他们建立了非常牢固的关系. 我是说，40年过去了，这些人仍然在一起. 听到他们选择的职业道路真是太棒了. +, I still get together with the guys that lived across the hall in Perkins when I was a sophomore in 1967; we get together once a year.

作为一名员工，你最大的挑战是什么?

1970年的暴乱. 退一步说，那是一段艰难的时期. 我当时是一名儿科医生, and I can remember [my supervisor] making us go uptown to try to bring our residents back to Perkins Hall. Then, the next thing you know, you’re on the front lines of the 骚乱. When the university closed, you had 24 hours to get out of town. Could you imagine everyone leaving campus within 24 hours?

What is one of your most memorable moments at newbb电子平台?

我读大学的时候，学校赞助了j舞会. A male dorm and a female dorm joined to create a 5-minute skit. The members had to write the script, make the costumes, build a set, write the music and dance. The set had to be portable since you carried it from green to green and performed. You could not talk while carrying or setting up; you had to use hand signals. So, you had 10 minutes to set up, perform and tear it down. It was great to see the creativity of the guys and girls. 工程师，艺术，音乐专业的学生都在使用他们的技能. 娱乐时间!

What lessons did you learn during your time at 俄亥俄州 that remain important to you today?

倾听是最重要的. We had freshmen kids and who came into the dormitory with different backgrounds and different cultures―from small towns, 大城市和国外. 他们各自讲述了一个不同的故事, and I think I had to learn how to listen to different people’s backgrounds and what they were experiencing.

你还有什么想和我们分享的吗?

我毕业于俄亥俄州. My wife Linda graduated from 俄亥俄州, and my daughter Shawna graduated from 俄亥俄州. Her husband, Aaron, as well as his parents, Ronna and Josh, graduated from 俄亥俄州. 这是我们家族的遗传!

加入住房和居住生活的朋友, family and former staff members at our Homecoming Brunch, 周六, 10月. 20 as we present Rod 萨奥尔 with the 2018 杰出校友奖. 也, be sure to stop by the 学生事务处 tailgate tent at Pepsi’s Tailgreat Park after the Homecoming parade!

住房和居住生活 is always accepting nominations for the 杰出校友奖.