Klaus Solko, co-executive editor 

For the entirety of the fall semester, Urness Hall was working with an interim Community Director (CD), Lisa Eizenga, the assistant director of Residence Life. She had taken on the role on top of her other responsibilities, which the Urness staff team was very grateful for. However, Eizenga is now able to take a step back, as the position has been permanently filled by Stephanie Stringe. 

Stringe, pronounced “string,” is a graduate of Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff she has a bachelor’s degree in early childhood and elementary education. She taught fifth to seventh grade from 2020 to 2022 before transitioning to work as a CD for the University of Arizona. There, she was also able to complete a master’s degree in higher education. 

When I asked what she thinks of her new role as a CD, she replied, “I believe a Community Director is meant to provide support and guidance for Community Advisors as well as community members in a wide variety of ways. Residence Halls are a valuable hub for students where they can build and maintain strong friendships, find community, develop a myriad of life skills, and get connected with the many resources Augsburg has to offer. As a Community Director, I view my role as helping to ensure all of those things can happen. I do this by organizing and mentoring Community Advisors, who are the primary connection point for community members. Community Directors are here to answer students’ questions about living on campus and assist in ensuring they have access to living environments that feel like home!”

Urness Hall is the only residence hall on campus that is fully specific to a community, that community being first-year students. Stringe recognizes that this makes Urness Hall unique as a residence community, stating, “Urness is a living space where all community members are experiencing their first semesters of college alongside one another.” She continued, “Students who live in Urness have an opportunity to explore campus and its resources together for the first time and create friendships and connections that they can carry with them through their entire Augsburg experience. Of course, these kinds of experiences permeate throughout all residence halls, but there is something special about doing things for the first time together!”

Urness Hall is the only residence hall on campus that is fully specific to a community, that community being first-year students.

Klaus solko

There are many challenges to moving to a new school, even as a faculty member. Stringe says working at a larger school “can result in feeling like a little fish in a big sea.” Many people recognize the smaller size of Augsburg as it adds in connection not just between students but also with staff and faculty. This is a difference Stringe has already noticed. 

Following up on the topic of connection, I asked Stringe how she is planning on interacting with the community. She affirms that she plans to try and meet students at events hosted by Community Advisors, and that her office door is always open, and that if any Urness community members need assistance, they should feel free to stop by.

When asked about what she is most looking forward to in being with our University, she noted, “I look forward to getting to know the community and its members throughout this semester! The RLife team has been incredibly kind and welcoming, and I cannot wait to learn from everyone and contribute to students’ positive living experiences.”

In the end, I asked Stringe if she had anything she wanted to say to the Urness community. She said, “One suggestion I would share is encouraging any Urness community member who has had a great experience in the Residence Hall this year to consider applying to be a Community Advisor next year! It is an amazing opportunity to help cultivate that same kind of experience for a new group of students!”

For the entirety of the fall semester, Urness Hall was working with an interim Community Director (CD), Lisa Eizenga, the assistant director of Residence Life. She had taken on the role on top of her other responsibilities, which the Urness staff team was very grateful for. However, Eizenga is now able to take a step back, as the position has been permanently filled by Stephanie Stringe. 

Stringe, pronounced “string,” is a graduate of Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff she has a bachelor’s in early childhood and elementary education. She taught fifth to seventh grade from 2020 to 2022 before transitioning to work as a CD for the University of Arizona. There, she was also able to complete a master’s degree in higher education. 

When I asked what she thinks of the job of a CD, she replied, “I believe a Community Director is meant to provide support and guidance for Community Advisors as well as community members in a wide variety of ways. Residence Halls are a valuable hub for students where they can build and maintain strong friendships, find community, develop a myriad of life skills, and get connected with the many resources Augsburg has to offer. As a Community Director, I view my role as helping to ensure all of those things can happen. I do this by organizing and mentoring Community Advisors, who are the primary connection point for community members. Community Directors are here to answer students’ questions about living on campus and assist in ensuring they have access to living environments that feel like home!”

Urness Hall is the only residence hall on campus that is fully specific to a community, that community being first-year students. Stringe recognizes that this makes Urness Hall unique as a residence community, stating, “Urness is a living space where all community members are experiencing their first semesters of college alongside one another.” She continued, “Students who live in Urness have an opportunity to explore campus and its resources together for the first time and create friendships and connections that they can carry with them through their entire Augsburg experience. Of course, these kinds of experiences permeate throughout all residence halls, but there is something special about doing things for the first time together!”

There are many challenges to moving to a new school, even as a faculty member. Stringe says working at a larger school “can result in feeling like a little fish in a big sea.” Many people recognize the size of Augsburg as it adds in connection not just between students but also with staff and faculty. This is a difference Stringe has already noticed. 

In a follow-up conversation about connection, I asked Stringe how she is planning on interacting with the community. She insisted that she plans to try and meet students at events hosted by Community Advisors, and that her office door is always open, and that if any Urness community members need assistance, they should feel free to stop by.

When asked about what she is most looking forward to in being with our school, she noted, “I look forward to getting to know the community and its members throughout this semester! The RLife team has been incredibly kind and welcoming, and I cannot wait to learn from everyone and contribute to students’ positive living experiences.”

In the end, I asked Stringe if she had anything she wanted to say to the Urness community. She said, “One suggestion I would share is encouraging any Urness community member who has had a great experience in the Residence Hall this year to consider applying to be a Community Advisor next year! It is an amazing opportunity to help cultivate that same kind of experience for a new group of students!”