Executive Summary

The 2024-2025 academic year marked the third in my (Emily Contois, Associate Professor of Media Studies) Faculty in Residence (FiR) journey at The University of Tulsa, along with my husband, Chris, and our dog, Ruby. Over these three years, we’ve hosted 115 events in our home and participated in many more across campus. We’ve continued successful FiR programming from our first year—including weekly office hours, Pup & PJs evening events, and monthly dinners at our home—and built upon successes from our second-year—including academic skills workshops and social events that merged my teaching and FiR work.

In addition to summaries and photos from this year’s program, this annual report also includes 12 testimonials from students who’ve participated in it. Zoe Smithey, a first year Sociology major with a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies, says of the FiR Program:

To live three doors down from an academic who is well established in her field, you would think she would just keep to herself. However, her door is often open, and she is ready to hear about your day, feed you good food, or help you excel in her field. She is a great addition to LaFortune.

And Hal Clowers, a junior Biology major (pre-med) with minors in Chemistry and History, writes:

I absolutely love the Faculty in Residence program. I have been going to Professor Contois’s events since her first semester in the role. I have loved getting to know one of my favorite professors in a more personal way that allowed me to see her as more than just a faculty member. I have attended many of her events including dinners, finals study preparations, and my personal favorite: Pup n’ PJs. Faculty in Residence has been my favorite program TU offers and I hope to see it continue. 

FiR Program Elements

UTulsa’s FiR program is a living-learning community that provides both formal and informal interactions between students and professors. We aim to form a bridge between the classroom and student life with the goal of enriching students’ daily lives and overall college experience.

Building from the higher ed literature on effective FiR programs, we seek to facilitate sustained interactions with students that combine academic and social elements, as well as providing opportunities for “deeper life” conversations once solid professor-student relationships have been cultivated.

FiR Student Welcome Efforts

I endeavor to welcome LaFortune residents (and all UTulsa students) to campus with intention and care, so I:

• Updated our UTulsa Faculty in Residence webpage
• Posted a welcome photo and message on my Instagram in fall 2024
• Hand-wrote welcome notes for every LaFortune suite door, as well as encouragement notes for fall 2024 finals
• Worked LaFortune move-in day alongside student and staff volunteers
• Attended LaFortune’s first hall meeting to introduce myself and Ruby to all residents
• Hosted a Welcome Hour event in the FiR apartment with study tips, snacks, giveaways, and fellowship

Even years later, some students remember their welcome, such as Amber Restivo, a junior Biology major with minors in Chemistry and Psychology, who writes,

I met Professor Contois on move-in day my freshman year. Her infectious positivity and kindness set a welcoming tone in LaFortune House and made moving away from home much less scary. Professor Contois’ investment in community building has grown beyond the limits of LaFortune House, though. Despite having moved out of LaFortune two years ago, I continue to attend events, such as faculty in residence dinners, where I get to catch up with Professor Contois and have the opportunity to meet new people. It is incredible how many friendly faces on campus are people I first met at an event hosted or planned by Professor Contois. I will always be grateful for the support and community I have received from Professor Contois and the faculty in residence program. 

FiR Program Communication Efforts

Communication efforts are constant and ongoing to build awareness about the FiR program and encourage students to engage with us. This year I:

• Designed, printed, and posted FiR flyers throughout LaFortune summarizing our events in fall 2024 and spring 2025
• Designed promotional images for every event and posted on Instagram
• Presented about the FiR program at UTulsa recruitment events, like Tulsa Time
• Posted every FiR event to the UTulsa events calendar to invite all students to attend
• Posted multiple reminders for every event on my Instagram Stories
• Posted photo recaps of every event on my Instagram

Standing FiR Events

During the 2024-2025 academic year, we held the following events on a regular basis to offer students academic and social support.

FiR Family Dinners are open to all UTulsa students. We hosted three dinners in our home each semester, thanks to the wonderful support of UTulsa Catering. Some students have attended a dinner every year, or even each semester, so we get to stay in touch with them, such as with Oswaldo Atilano, a sophomore Nursing major, who was a LaFortune resident and FYE student of mine last year. He writes:

I’ve attended about four Faculty in Residence dinner events since coming to TU, and I’ve really enjoyed each one. These dinners gave me the chance to meet students on campus that I wouldn’t normally interact with, which helped me feel more connected to TU and made campus life feel a little more close-knit. Plus, they’re just genuinely fun events to be a part of!

Georgee David—who’s a sophomore majoring in Business with a minor in Real Estate and pursuing the Law Accelerated program—also writes:

I have not only been fortunate enough to participate in Faculty in Residence, but I also was very fortunate to have Professor Contois as my FYE 1001 professor. I have participated in the Faculty in Residence dinner multiple times and Pup and PJs. The love and support from Professor Contois and her family has really helped my college experience by knowing I always have somebody I can trust and talk to no matter the situation. I came to Tulsa not really knowing anybody and Professor Contois and her family always made me feel like I was part of her family and continued to push me towards my dreams and goals. I love you Professor Contois!

A LaFortune Lobby Office Hour took place weekly for students to stop by for academic and social help, or just to chat, co-work, or pet Ruby. Lobby hours also facilitated informal interactions with LaFortune residents as they passed through the space, like Heide Renteria, a first year student studying Elementary Education with a minor in Spanish, who writes,

During this past year, I lived in LaFortune, so I had Faculty in Residence right there! It was nice to interact with Professor Contois and her family. I participated in the Faculty Dinner, a finals workshop, many office hours in LaFortune, along with many Pups and PJs. Throughout these events, I managed to meet and learn from many other students here at TU, along with good tips that will follow me throughout college.

Pup & PJs were able to return after we adopted Ruby. Typically, students would join us for an hour in the evening to pet and play with her and talk about how they’re doing. A few times, we expanded the event beyond pup social time. One night we watched and discussed the Vice Presidential Debate. On another, we watched episodes of Pop Culture Jeopardy. Election Night 2024 also fell during a Pup & PJs event, so we invited students to experience the culmination of their first voting experience in community and in a nurturing environment.

Carter Enos, who was a LaFortune resident last year and is now a sophomore majoring in Computer Science Simulation & Gaming writes:

The Faculty in Residence program was super beneficial for me my first year. It was super helpful for me after a long day to come back to LaFortune, pet her dog, and talk with Professor Contois about all of the things that were going on or that I was stressed about. It was nice having her as an extra resource right outside of my doorstep because personally the more steps it takes for me to do something, the less motivated I am to do it. This is also why I loved Pup and PJs so much because it gave me a reason to get out and do something fun while also staying cozy and not needing to leave the dorms.

Daily Walks. Ruby and I are a constant presence on campus, walking our miles every morning and running errands in the afternoon. We’re always delighted to stop, say hello, and catch up with students—except for when Ruby is hard at work chasing squirrels, that is.

First year student and LaFortune resident Brooklynne Clark writes:

I attended Professor Contois’ Pup & PJ events, her final study sessions, and one of the dinners hosted in her home. These events and seeing her and Ruby around campus and the dorm helped LaFortune feel like home. Seeing the notes she would leave on doors during final weeks and knowing she was a resource if I needed her made the transition to college so much easier!

UTulsa Dining. I interacted with students (as well as faculty and staff friends) multiple times a week at Pate Case Dining Center, the Union food court, and the McFarlin Library Starbucks. Given my evening teaching schedule in Spring 2025, I ate dinner with students every Monday at 5 pm.

Konnor McGuire, a junior Political Science major pictured above, says:

The Faculty in Residence program is what is because of Professor Contois and her family. The thought and care that she puts into each event and topic in class shines through in all that she does. Whether it be fresh baked cookies and puppy pets, or sit down 3 course meals, her love for students is clearly stated and shown. This program gives students the opportunity to find community and comfort during their years away from home and provide support when they need it most. I would tell everyone to utilize this program early on, because it has truly made such a difference in my semester and college experience.

Semesterly class visits provided opportunities to host nearly all of my classes at my home. I aim to foster a special learning environment grounded in nurturing hospitality, while also raising FiR program awareness.

Monthly (at least) residential and campus events (some pictured below) were opportunities for us to further integrate with our UTulsa community like: back to school fireworks, UTulsa football tailgates and games, cheering on Route 66 Marathon runners on campus, and attending UTulsa Thanksgiving dinner with fellow faculty friends. We also attended numerous events in LaFortune House planned by RAs, CCs, and hall government, ranging from a Real Talk event on gender identity to pizza and pasta parties to a late night yoga class.

Haley Tanega, a first year student majoring in Psychology, writes:

I have had the unique experience of having Professor Contois as both my faculty resident “dorm mom” and my professor. Getting to know her on a more personal level while living in LaFortune has strengthened the bond I share with her now as my teacher. Some of my fondest memories are from when Professor Contois attended the Real Talk event in our lobby, where she courageously shared her own stories about gender identity. I have also witnessed her unconditional kindness and support toward all students and residents on numerous occasions. Professor Contois organizes numerous engaging events that help students feel recognized and comfortable during their college experience. I am thankful to have met her and to have her as my professor.

Special Events

’90s Snack Night aligned with my fall 2024 Food Media course. We provided a sampling of snacks and created a YouTube playlist of their TV ads originally developed in the 1990s, the decade of my childhood. It was all for good fun and thoughtful discussions about food product development, marketing, and package design, as well as evolving ideas about childhood health and nutrition.

Super Bowl Ad Watch Party aligned with my spring 2025 Advertising History, Culture & Critique course. I hosted a watch party with snacks for students who wanted to seriously watch and critique the ads along with my class, who were preparing for their ad ranking assignment.

Cookie Study Hour in spring 2025 supported student study habits for midterms alongside mental and social health needs. It provided space, time, and supplies to study in community and with chocolate-chip cookies fresh from the oven!

The event resonated with senior Film Studies major, Milena Perkins, pictured seated above, who writes:

I’ve gone to MANY Faculty in Residence events over the years. Some of my favorites have been Pups and PJs and the study event in which Professor Contois provided us with fresh baked cookies are we prepared for our midterms. I truly enjoy going to events because Professor Contois is so welcoming and shows up for her students not just in the classroom but outside as well. She truly cares about her students, and it shows by the special events that she puts on throughout the semesters. Going to her events has made my time at TU even more special and the events, as well as Professor Contois, will be something I miss once I graduate. Thanks for everything you’ve done for me over my 4 years at TU!

Finals Planning Support took place as a formal workshop in fall 2024 and an informal resource pick-up event in spring 2025. These sessions helped students to identify study and time management techniques that promote success on their exams and assignments, while managing motivation alongside mental, emotional, and social health needs.

Conclusion

As we conclude our third year as Faculty in Residence having hosted more than one hundred events, we are heartened and inspired by the many relationships we’ve formed with students on campus.

Building relationships with students over time is one of my favorite parts of being a professor and Faculty in Residence, such as with junior Media Studies and Women’s & Gender Studies major, Kellie Smith, who lived in LaFortune during her first two years at UTulsa. She writes:

Being from a small town and leaving a dance company, I craved family, connections, and leadership when I began college. This program gave me everything I needed and more. I went to every event put on by the Faculty in Residence program and met so many people. I’ve been to Pup and PJs, the Finals Prep Workshop, the monthly dinners that the Contois family put on, and the group trips that Prof. Contois has led, like to Philbrook Museum and events at 101 Archer. I grew as a person and as a student. My favorite event is Pup and PJs because it allowed me to have a space to just relax and get stress and worry out. The biggest plus is Contois’s dog always wears the cutest PJs. In all these events, I got to learn from peers, professors, and guests to the university about how college has shaped them as the person they are. Going into my senior year, I am grateful to the Faculty in Residence program for helping me build a foundation for my college career and adult life. The experiences and lessons I have learned from the Faculty in Residence program will stay with me the rest of my life.

Next year, I’m excited and grateful to be on research sabbatical with the time and space to write my next book. We’ll travel a bit, but we will still live much of the year on campus and plan to host an event or two during the year. We hope to return in fall 2026 eager to continue growing in community with UTulsa students.