INSIDE TU Bridging the Gap

Assistant Professor of Media Studies Emily Contois reflects on her first year as TU’s Faculty in Residence

Last summer, I moved into LaFortune House with my husband, Chris, and our dog, Raven, as TU’s first Faculty in Residence family to live on The University of Tulsa campus in more than a decade.

I aspired to be a positive part of students’ college experience, serving as a bridge between the classroom and the rest of students’ lives. As I approach my first anniversary in this role, I barely have the words to describe how special it’s been for me to research, write, teach and live alongside TU students on a daily basis. Luckily, my students and residents — who represent a variety of majors and colleges — have much to say about the program and its impact.

“Our building primarily caters to firstyear students, so Dr. Contois provides a perfect balance of academic and social support,” said Mason Norton, our LaFortune House senior resident assistant and a political science senior. “From the dinners she hosts with residents to her weekly office hours, Dr. Contois has truly been the bridge for students to connect their social lives with their academic ones.”

First-year biology major Amber Restivo was a guest at our inaugural Faculty in Residence dinner, and I vividly remember meeting her and her mother on move-in day last fall.

“The Faculty in Residence program made my adjustment to college much smoother and helped me build what feels like a family on campus,” Restivo said. “I am incredibly grateful for the ways in which Dr. Contois has helped curate a welcoming, supportive and respectful environment in LaFortune House, as well as amongst many communities on campus, which has given me great opportunities to expand socially and academically.”

With multiple office hours every week in the residence hall (including an evening hour when Raven wears her PJs!), I’ve gotten to know some student residents quite well, including Kellie Smith, a firstyear double major in women’s and gender studies and media studies.

“I have a great bond with Dr. Contois, which has impacted how I learn, but also shown me I can be so much more than I thought,” she said. “The Faculty in Residence program has gotten me out of my comfort zone and made for an incredible college experience so far.”

The Faculty in Residence program also reaches students who don’t live in LaFortune House. Raven and I meet students on our daily walks, and Chris and I regularly attend campus events. I invite students to go to lectures at TU’s Oklahoma Center for the Humanities, concerts in Lorton Performance Center and even classes in Collins Fitness Center with me so they don’t feel alone. I also host all of my classes in my home at least once each semester.

“Dr. Contois has incorporated us into her everyday life,” said Josh Stewart, who took two of my courses on his way to completing his MBA in 2022. “Dr. Contois has gone over and beyond to communicate such a genuine concern for educational success, mental and physical health needs, and everyday encouragement for colleagues and students alike. Having faculty on campus to hold you accountable truly does make a difference — making a difference is all we set out to do.”

I sincerely hope that the TU Faculty in Residence program is making a difference in students’ college experience. I look forward to building on our successes and all the lessons we’ve learned when we welcome new students to campus this fall!