Home away from home: reshaping residence life

For Anastasia Davis, M.S.Ed., a residence hall isn’t just where students live – it’s the home where they learn and grow during their time on campus. As the new director of residence life and student conduct at Lenoir-Rhyne, Davis brings a fresh vision for what residential living can mean in a student’s college experience.

“I was drawn to residential life because it allows me to build genuine relationships with students as part of their support system,” she said. “I’ve always been passionate about doing work that makes students’ lives better – whether that’s through creating safer communities, providing leadership opportunities or simply being a consistent and compassionate presence in their lives. We’re shaping the college experience.”

That student-centered mindset has shaped every step of Davis’ career. What began as a student job – working the front desk in a residence hall and advising the residence hall association – quickly turned into a calling. She earned her undergraduate degree in business administration-marketing from the University of Central Missouri in 2017, then went on to complete a master’s degree in educational leadership at Old Dominion University in 2019, preparing for a career focused on student development and campus community building.

Since then, she has served in a variety of roles at institutions across the Southeast and Midwest, including Old Dominion, Morehead State University, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and the University of the South. In each setting, Davis has strengthened residential education programs, supported themed and special-interest housing, led training initiatives and helped students build meaningful connections with one another.

“At this point, I have worked seven years professionally in residence life, and I have fallen in love with being able to create that home away from home,” she said. “I love seeing how students have genuine relationships and connections with each other and how they grow during their time in the residence halls.”

At Lenoir-Rhyne, Davis oversees not only residence life but also student conduct – a responsibility she views as a natural extension of her commitment to student growth.

“Student conduct is about upholding university policies, but it’s also about reflection and accountability,” she explained. “I appreciate the opportunity to help students think about their decisions, learn from their experiences and move forward with greater self-awareness. As they learn about why policies are in place on campus, they can prepare for future environments where similar policies will impact their personal and professional lives.”

The idea that student learning occurs in all aspects of campus life, not just the classroom, guides Davis’ work. She sees college as a time to build both academic skills and emotional intelligence, helping students discover not only what they want to do, but who they want to be.

“I want the residence halls to be places where students feel safe to learn and grow,” Davis said. “It’s about fostering inclusive spaces where they’re supported in all areas of their development.”

With experience at institutions of varying sizes and missions, Davis knew she wanted to be part of a campus culture that emphasized close connections, intentional relationships and meaningful student engagement.

“The values at Lenoir-Rhyne – building a community of inclusion and transformation – deeply resonated with me,” she said. “Then I met the team and saw how passionate they are, how committed they are to the students and each other, putting students first and making their experience unique and fun. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?”

Now, as she prepares to welcome students to campus for a new academic year, Davis is excited to see her work and the residence halls come to life.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing the residence halls come to life on move-in day,” she said. “There’s a special kind of energy that fills the campus when everyone arrives – full of excitement, nerves and possibility as we kick off a new year of growth and discovery.”