For Viterbo residence life director Joann Stacey, the many duties of her job boil down to a primary focus— the students.

“We’re here to help make a community that is safe and supportive for our students to live and learn on campus,” said Stacey, a Kansas native who began at Viterbo in 2020 as a residence hall area coordinator and was promoted to her current position this past summer. “I’m excited for the new school year and want to help make it the best year possible for our students.”

Stacey describes her position as being a jack of all trades that oversees the area coordinators and interns, the housing software and room assignments, meal plan and parking permit concerns, resident student engagement, lodging for summer camps and conferences, non-academic accommodations for students, serious roommate disputes, or even just the occasional room lock out.

“There are many great reasons to live in the Viterbo residence halls and apartments,” Stacey said. “There are numerous support systems in place and numerous studies show that overall students are more engaged, get better grades, and graduate faster when they live on campus.”

One of the most important aspects of Stacey’s job is simply to do what she can to make sure students have a good experience at Viterbo.

“For students to feel comfortable sharing deeper concerns or issues, I need to be more than a name on an office door or email,” said Stacey, who walks her dog on campus and attends games and other events to be more visible and approachable to students. “Sometimes it’s just my saying ‘hi’ first.”

Stacey earned a bachelor’s degree in music with specialization in sacred music from the University of Mary in Bismarck, N.D. She sings and plays some piano, guitar, clarinet, and organ. She is pursuing a Master of Arts in Servant Leadership from Viterbo and was a participant in the university’s Assisi Pilgrimage program.

“Supporting students and helping them grow makes for a very rewarding career,” Stacey said.