My name is Dan Taylor and I am the RD of Fischer Hall. I live just off the lobby with my wife Sarah and our ridiculously cute daughters Maggie (2.5 yrs) & Lucie (9 mths). Maggie can often be spotted as the pink blur making a break for her favorite part of the lobby—the elevators. Lucie can usually be found comparing the size of whatever is in reach with the size of her mouth. Sarah and I met as music majors at Gordon College (MA), but after graduating the Lord took us on an unexpected journey into Student Development work. We moved straight into a residence hall after we were married and have lived all nine years of our marriage in residence halls, first at Gordon and now at Wheaton. I have the fun distinction of following my wife as RD of Fischer, as she was the fabulous RD here until recently! I double majored in music (French horn) and philosophy as an undergrad and then went on to complete the Master of Divinity degree at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, where I focused on the interaction between theology and culture. I love going to anything musical, cultural, or creative in any way and I love talking with students about the intersection between their beliefs and the messiness of their lives. It is my prayer that Fischer Hall be much more than a place to sleep—that it provides a space for God’s amazing and difficult work to be done in students’ lives through community—a community that has fun together, challenges each other, and honestly struggles together.
My name is Kat Haase and I am the RD of Smith-Traber. I live with my husband Dan, who teaches in the Christian Formation and Ministry Department, and our two kids, Christopher (11) and Benjamin (9). Chris and Ben are the dorm mascots and can be found leading massive all dorm nerf wars (so bring your nerf guns) and recruiting students in the lobbies to play Settlers of Catan and Risk. Dan and I met as wilderness leaders at HoneyRock Camp (Wheaton’s Northwoods Campus) and highly recommend the experience (both HoneyRock and dating). We started our first year of marriage as RDs at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, GA (my hometown) and haven’t left the college world since. After graduating from Wheaton’s undergraduate program as a communications major, I was an admissions counselor for Eastern University in St. Davids, PA where I started to develop a passion for working with college students. I returned to Wheaton’s Graduate school a few years later to earn my master’s degree in Christian Formation and Ministry and to eventually take my first RD position at Covenant College where I continued my studies in Philosophy and Theology. Dan and I have now been back in Wheaton for 11 years and have sincerely loved every year that we have gotten to be with the RAs and students that have come through our building. We are very fortunate to have such amazing and diverse people living with us and having them love on our family. Our hope each year is that Smith-Traber is a place where students feel as though they truly belong and are encouraged and challenged by each other to know and love Jesus more.
My name is Kristy McGarvey and I have the privilege to serve as the Residence Director of the Upperclass halls (Evans-McManis and Williston). I grew up beside the beautiful mountains of Colorado after being a missionary kid in the Philippines for my early years and then migrated to Kentucky where I attended Asbury College and studied both biology and Christian formation. After a year of substitute teaching, I made my way to Wheaton College where I was a GRA in Smith-Traber residence hall and studied in the Intercultural Studies department. From there, I ventured to Minnesota, the land of the great lakes, long o’s, and tater tot hot dish, where I worked at Crown College as a residence director and as the director of various leadership programs for the campus. If you find me in my free time, I am probably hitting up garage sales after a farmer’s market on a sunny Saturday morning, drinking salted hot chocolate with a good book in the winter, trying to figure out how iTunes works so I can listen to Yo-Yo Ma or Over the Rhine, making some sort of soup or baking cookies, or traveling to see friends or family in far off places. My hope and prayer is that in Upper Class Halls, you will find an environment where you can safely and courageously pursue a deeper intimacy with God, connect with those around you in meaningful community and foster a greater appreciation of yourself and the diverse gifts you have been given to be an agent of joy and life to others.
Hello! My name is Scott Barrett, and I serve as the Residence Director of the campus apartments and houses. I support the 6 Apartment/House Graduate Resident Assistants, as well as directly oversee the Saint and Elliot Residence Complex. I have the opportunity to share my life and my apartment with my beautiful wife, Mel, and our rambunctious little guy, Sam (15 months). We have lived in California for the last couple of years where I was a Residence Director at Biola University. We loved the beach and the sun, but we felt the Midwest calling us home. I did my undergrad at Taylor University studying elementary education and went to seminary at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary getting an MA in Educational Ministries. Mel and I love playing board games, cooking, eating, and trying to find ways to make Sam giggle. We have lived our entire married life in a residence hall and love the opportunity to share our lives with the people around us. We are excited to be a part of the tradition of Wheaton and the great community that comes with it.