Self-proclaimed 'Residence Hall Groupie' comes to Messiah's Grantham campus

Amy VanDerWerf has had her share of moves. From the Twin Cities of midwestern Minnesota to the east-coast metropolis of Philadelphia, and now from the bustling cheesesteak capital of the world to Messiah’s suburban Grantham campus, her experiences of settling in different areas surely make her particularly suited for her new position as residence life director.

Before coming to Pennsylvania, VanDerWerf had the unique opportunity to observe the inner functions of her own Minnesotan alma mater, Northwestern College, through her work in its admissions office. During her years of involvement there and while completing her master’s degree, VanDerWerf realized that she “was most driven by the way [she] could connect with students—loving them, and journeying with them.” After hearing about Messiah’s urban satellite campus, she felt “drawn to the incredible program in Philly” as it sought to help students “get connected with the city, with each other, and with a close-knit community.” Finding Messiah College “a good fit” for her, VanDerWerf became the director of community life at its Philadelphia campus last year, a position which “gave [her] a great introduction to Messiah and its students” and offered her a “chance to see the broader picture” of residence life as it intersected with other areas, such as student affairs, chapel programming, and building and grounds staff.

While she will admittedly miss the variety of ethnic restaurants and the distinct challenges presented by urban living, VanDerWerf nonetheless expresses excitement to become “part of the full Grantham community.” She eagerly looks forward to working with residence directors (professional staff members who are usually in the process of obtaining their master’s degrees) and resident assistants (student leaders hired to assist the directors) to further define individual residence halls on campus. Her first year, she says, will consist mostly of “learning the current system” and “examining the fine groundwork” already laid by her predecessors; yet, she anticipates “seeking ways to grow and develop” residence programming during the upcoming years.

For all that VanDerWerf is sure to do at Messiah, her request to students and parents remains simple: “These are critical and formative years. I would ask that students come open-minded, ready to open themselves up to new relationships and experiences outside of themselves. I would ask parents to remember to pray for our students as they experience college life.”