Campus Life Strengthens Its Ranks

Photo by Jeff Watts.

American University is home to a vibrant community of committed students and distinguished faculty, but it also houses another defining feature that sets the institution apart – a dedicated staff. 

The Office of Campus Life oversees eighteen departments, ranging from the Counseling Center and Academic Support Center to New Student Programs and the GLBTA Resource Center. These eighteen award-winning offices feature staff who are specialists in their respective areas of student affairs, providing AU students with unique programming, services, and opportunities.

Strengthening its ranks, the Office of Campus Life – or OCL – officially welcomed five new team members last week during its annual OCL Bagel Brunch. While Housing & Dining Programs acquired the majority of the new talent, both the Student Health Center and University Center also saw their numbers rise.

As one of OCL’s busiest departments, Housing & Dining Programs – or HDP – brought aboard Tristine Harris, Lauren Grant, and Tiffany Mott-Smith to keep its quality services in top shape. Harris – a native of New Jersey – now serves as the assignments coordinator, bringing a wealth of experience from her time working in residential life at Morgan State University.

Lauren Grant, HDP’s new web content coordinator, comes to AU from Pennsylvania, where she attended Albright College and worked in marketing for companies including Urban Outfitters. New One Card Program Coordinator Tiffany Mott-Smith, a Detroit native, is pursuing an MS in Public Administration here at AU as she takes her new post. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering with local, community-based organizations and catching theater productions around DC.

Consistently raising an already impressive standard of care, the Student Health Center welcomes Casey O’Bryan as a nurse practitioner. O’Bryan is starting her career here at AU after earning her undergraduate degree from UC Berkley and an MS in Nursing from Yale University. While new to the university, O’Bryan’s roots run deep at AU, as her grandparents fell in love on campus over sixty years ago.

Finally, the University Center gained a new team member in Jonathon Sorge, a native of Hollywood, Florida, who now serves as assistant director of operations for the UC. Sorge holds an MA in Education and valuable experience as the former coordinator of student programs and Greek house director at Rider University in New Jersey.

As an institution known for its international students and global perspectives, it’s not surprising that AU welcomes a group of new staff members that have a wealth of time abroad themselves. O’Bryan was born in Carthage, Tunisia, while Mott-Smith has traveled and studied throughout Western Europe.

Though the entire group may not share these experiences, each new member shares a demonstrated passion and specialty for his or her work – something that makes the AU community of wonks a perfect home for these new OCL team members.

If you or someone you know is interested in joining the professional staff community at American University, click here to view current open positions.