July 24, 2007

Bryan Lewellen is hardly a rookie to the scene of working with students.  He left Marion County Corrections Center as Assistant Detention Manager to become Director of Residence Life in July. 

He joined Brenda Roth, newly named Dean of Students, who knows his job particularly well.  She has worked in Student Life for 10 years.

As Residence Life Director, Lewellen will make sure students’ basic needs are met and their rights considered, just as he did when a juvenile corrections officer.  He will make sure those in charge follow through in their responsibilities.  But now with a much different clientele, he will equip those who lead—residence hall directors and assistants—with the skills they need to make godly decisions.

Right now both he and Roth are busy with student placement issues and generally getting ready for the school year.  But overall his job is to direct and supervise the residence hall staff.  That involves the oversight of about 475 on-campus students. 

“I really wanted to work in a Christian environment,” Lewellen said about his job change.  “Corban is good for me, it’s good for my family.” 

Lewellen lives in nearby Stayton with his wife, Debbie, and four daughters  He enjoys watching his girls play sports and being outside—whether hunting, fishing, or playing baseball.  They attend Foothills Community Church in Stayton.

Dean of Students Brenda Roth said she’s very excited about Lewellen’s capabilities.  She has noticed “his instincts already match our style and the kind of goals we set.”

“We are leaders who lead leaders, who in turn, lead leaders,” Roth said in describing her and Lewellen’s roles. “You have to come alongside and teach leadership.  There’s a time for telling, but our job is passing on thinking and goal-setting skills.  That takes a lot more creativity than just passing down rules.”  They can put that into practice as they teach the student RA class together this fall.

Preparing for the school year is currently taking all of their energies, but it will all change soon.  Because RAs will arrive August 8, soon joined by fall athletes, Roth expects 150 students on campus by mid-August.  “We’ll get loud,” she warned.