Profile: Chad Myers
Chad Myers is the director of housing and student life at Emerson LA (ELA). A 30,000-foot view of his job would show that he accompanies students on their journeys into and throughout their Emerson LA experience.
At the start of the journey, he recruits cohorts of eligible applicants through a series of informational panels and in-person sessions (pre-COVID). As a member of the ELA Program Selection Committee, he helps select the ~200 students who are accepted into the program each semester. After students are selected to participate, he works with other ELA staff to create pre-departure sessions that prepare students for their semester in Los Angeles.
Prior to students’ arrival each semester, Myers works closely with the facilities management and security teams to ensure that the building is up to code and ready for residence. This includes a thorough inspection of each individual student room and all student-use common spaces. During this time, he also coordinates the planning of ELA’s Orientation Program with support from other Student Life staff, the Academic and Internship Department, and Alumni Engagement.
Once students arrive on campus, he manages the day-to-day operations of the residential towers. He supervises two resident directors, one staff administrator, five student resident assistants, and five to seven student mail room assistants. He also works with colleagues to provide weekly programming that supports career exploration, promotes holistic wellness, and encourages immersion into LA culture.
Another important aspect of his role as a live-in staff member is to support students’ emotional and mental well-being. He collaborates often with Boston colleagues in Student Accessibility Services, Counseling and Psychological Services, Student Success, and other departments.
When the semester winds down, Myers and his co-workers in Alumni Engagement, Student Life, and Transitional Services offer programming to help students prepare to leave the program and launch their careers.
Other job responsibilities include overseeing the campus student conduct process and serving as a Title IX liaison for the ELA campus. Myers also leads ELA’s Civic Engagement Working Group, which provides a number of civic engagement opportunities throughout the semester. Each semester kicks off with a campus-wide community service project. Students can then volunteer with three local nonprofit organizations throughout the semester. The working group also promotes remote civic engagement opportunities in a weekly newsletter each semester.
This summer, Myers will celebrate his two-year anniversary at Emerson. Prior to working at Emerson, he held the role of assistant dean of students at Occidental College for 10 years. One of the things he enjoys most about working at Emerson is the investment that the College makes to support employees’ growth. He said, “The HR Department offers so many developmental opportunities across a wide array of topics that allow for employees to develop or enhance skills that will make their work easier. I really value this, not only for me but also for the staff I supervise.”
Myers grew up in a small town just outside of Austin, TX; he noted that his graduating high school class consisted of 70 students. He obtained a bachelor’s degree in health and kinesiology with a minor in mathematics from The University of Texas at Tyler, and went on to receive a master’s degree in higher education student affairs from Bowling Green State University. He currently lives in the Emerson LA building with his dog, Cooper, and his fiancé comes to visit from San Francisco whenever he can.
Outside of work, Myers likes to stay active by participating in sports. He plays on a competitive men’s slow-pitch softball team that travels across the US each year to play in tournaments—including the finale Gay Softball World Series, which invites the top US and Canadian teams to compete in a weeklong tournament. He is also an avid runner and has completed multiple half-marathons and eight full marathons, “but I haven’t qualified for Boston yet!” he said.
Nancy Howell (Communications and Marketing)