Though there aren’t any new faces within the Student Life team this year, there has been some departmental shakeup. With a promotion for Chandler Buchfeller, extended hours for Jen Shenk and yet another position for Chad Coleman, students are still likely to see some changes.

For Buchfeller, now the associate dean of students, the transition from director of residence life and housing was one that he feels will play even better to his strengths. The new role is “giving me an opportunity to utilize my knowledge and skills to continue working at crafting the best student experience that we can at GC,” Buchfeller said.

Though he will miss getting to work with the residents of just one building, Buchfeller will still function as a resident director and thus won’t be too removed from the daily lives of students.

One of the most significant changes that comes with this new title is taking over as the advisor of the Student Senate. Buchfeller shared that this is another great team of students that he now gets to assist and that he hopes even more will sign up to join the team, as there are still openings.

At the end of the day for Buchfeller, this is a role that he feels will better utilize his strengths and give him the best opportunity to “foster a healthy, hospitable community on campus.”

For Campus Pastor Jen Shenk, the transition from half-time to three-fourths time comes in the midst of her own life transitions as well. “Now that all our boys have graduated and I’ve completed my degree, I have more space in my schedule . . . so the opportunity seemed to come at a perfect time,” Shenk said.

One of her main focuses now that she will have more time to give to campus is the increased visibility of the Chapel Singing Team. As there is no Parables team this year, Shenk is hoping to take the Chapel Singing Team, along with President Rebeca Stoltzfus, to area churches to help build those local community connections.

Also new this year is the faith formation model developed by Stoltzfus along with a collection of students, staff and administration. With the new model, Shenk feels that this is the perfect time to extend her own presence at the college to support that mission.

Shenk also plans to spend regular hours in the Recreation Fitness Center to provide walk-in hours more accessibly to student-athletes.

Another increased presence in the RFC is Chad Coleman, who has now stepped into the role of associate athletic director full time. Last year, Coleman was balanced roles as director of campus safety and interim athletic director. Now, he is with athletics exclusively.

To this end, Kris RappAfoose has stepped in as director of campus safety and security after previously working as a campus safety officer. Doug Crum was also promoted to assistant director of campus safety.

This plan of succession was established back in 2023 with the intention that Coleman would transition to athletics full time once the Campus Safety team was prepared for the change in leadership.

Coleman said that the aspects of the new position that he is most looking forward to is “helping improve our facilities, strengthening athletics relationships across campus, and finding ways to boost attendance at our games.”

Other changes in the campus life team also includes Henrique Castelhano Eichenberger transitioning from half to full time as the campus activities coordinator. Cyneatha Millsaps, the former executive director of the Center for Community Engagement and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, has also left the college to pursue another opportunity, so Gilberto Pérez Jr, dean of students, will be stepping in as the interim director of DEI.

Despite these changes for students, Buchfeller wanted to assure students that “Whether [students] have ideas about ways to make life at GC better, need to talk about something that’s gone wrong, or want to connect over a cup of coffee to discuss what they are learning in class, our team is here for them.”