Residential Life

Residential Life - Staff

The Office of Residential Life is staffed by a well-trained and knowledgeable team of professionals and paraprofessionals. The Residential Life staff consists of the director, the administrative assistant, five hall directors and 33 resident assistants. Each member of the Residential Life staff helps build community for residents in their own unique way.

Melanie Ebig Lawson

Director of Residential Life
melawson@manchester.edu
260-982-5052

Originally from Michigan, Melanie returned to the Midwest after a decade in New England. She earned both her BS in Women’s Studies and MA in Counseling/College Student Personnel from Eastern Michigan University and has worked in Residential Life at EMU, University of Illinois, University of Connecticut and Mount Holyoke College prior to joining the team at Manchester. She enjoys spending time with her husband Rob, playing video games, crafting and gardening.

Hall Directors

What is a Hall Director?
A Hall Director (HD) is a full-time professional who lives and works in the residence hall to which they are assigned. The primary job function of a Hall Director is to build community within the hall, through mentoring students, advising a Hall Council and supervising their Resident Assistants, among other administrative tasks. Hall Directors are there to help students create a community with a comfortable living environment that offers opportunity for making friends, learning how to live in community with others and academic success. Hall Directors serve on a duty rotation to offer emergency response to all students 24/7, 365 days a year. HDs are also ultimately responsible for holding students accountable in following the guidelines outlined in their housing contract and student handbook, The Source, either informally or formally as part of the conduct process.

Amy DiNovo

Helman and Oakwood Hall Director
AMDiNovo@manchester.edu
260‑982‑5444

Born and raised in Oak Lawn, IL outside of Chicago, Amy joins us from Central Michigan University. She graduated with a BA in Applied Arts as an Art/Art History major and with 3 years of residential life experience. She has found a passion for Residential Life and hopes to pursue a degree in Student Affairs. You can find her watching Netflix or working on a new art project with a smile on her face.

Jordan McIntyre

Garver Hall Director
jnmcintyre@manchester.edu
260-982-5417

Jordan was born and raised in Huntington, Indiana. He attended Grace College in Winona Lake, IN, where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Criminal Justice (2016) and his Master of Science in Higher Education. Jordan has worked in a variety of fields, including youth ministry, social work, and higher education, most recently as an Academic Advisor/Disability Support Services at Ivy Tech Community College. Jordan is obsessed with the following things: Harry Potter, Ireland, Kesha, and the British royal family.

Darlene Melvin

East Hall Director

DMMelvin@manchester.edu

260-982-5716

Darlene was born and raised in Fort Wayne, IN and made her way to Manchester University for her undergraduate degree. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Digital Media and a minor in Peace Studies. Darlene served as an Resident Assistant for over 3 years at Manchester University where she found her passion for higher education, inspiring her to return as a Hall Director. Her hobbies include drawing, gaming, watching horror movies, and listening to alt-rock music

Maegan Pollonais

Schwalm Hall Director
260-982-5444

Though she is originally from Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean, Maegan Pollonais graduated with her BA in Sociology and Music from SUNY Plattsburgh in New York and her Masters in Music from Bowling Green State University in Ohio, where she was the recipient of the Winifred O. Stone Presidential Scholarship. She is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Music with a concentration in Educational Psychology at Ball State. Maegan is excited to be part of Residential Life at Manchester University, where she plans to use her gifts and skills to bridge diversity, leadership and education together. This Caribbean native is very passionate about helping students find their voice, identifying what makes them unique and manifesting those characteristics into leadership and excellence. She is a movie buff and spends her free time watching Korean Dramas and foreign films.

Resident Assistants

What is an RA?

Resident assistants (RAs) are to develop ongoing relationships with residents on the floor and are committed to helping meet the needs of residents, as students and as responsible members of the campus community. "Assisting" incorporates many aspects including: programming counseling, being a friend, upholding University and residence hall policies, dispensing information, and being available on the floor. Each of these aspects is an appropriate way to meet the needs of the residents.

Each resident assistant is primarily committed to a floor/wing and its residents. In addition, a resident assistant will have many responsibilities involving the entire residence hall. RAs are responsible in the hall for information, counsel, supervision of hall operations and emergency response, whether it involves people or the physical facilities.