Meet The Staff
The Residence Complexes are under the direct supervision of the Director of Residence Life through the Residence Life Staff.
The Resident Directors, with the assistance of the Resident Advisors, aim to provide a safe living/learning environment.
Residence Life Staff
- Favorite part of being on Res Life staff: Residence Life is in my blood. I served as an RA in college and have been involved with residence life ever since. Residence life provides an incredibly unique opportunity to 'do life together', as Dietrich Bonhoeffer illustrates, while pursuing academic, spiritual and relational growth.
- Favorite Food: Diners, Drive-ins and Dives…if it's owned by 'ma and pa' and off the beaten path I'm a fan.
- Favorite Season: As the great Elmur Fudd so eloquently verbalized "wabbit season, duck season, deer season…"
- Meaningful verse of Scripture: Colossians 3:12-17: "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him".
- Family: I know that I'm biased, but I married the most wonderful girl in the world in September of 1998. Tricia and I have two boys: Clayton (2004) and Trent (2006)
- Education: B.A. in Theology from Mid-America Nazarene University; M.Ed. in College Student Affairs from Azusa Pacific University; Ed.D. (in progress) in Educational Leadership with a specialization in Higher Education from Union University
Director of Residence Life
731-661-5433
UU # 1806
klitscher@uu.edu
- Favorite part of being on Res Life staff: I love working with college students and Residence Life provides an exciting avenue to do it. So much of who I am was a result of having intentional relationships in college and I love to help facilitate that opportunity for others.
- Hobbies: Sports (Go Packers!), technology, outdoor recreation, woodworking, playing guitar and traveling.
- Favorite Res Life memory from college: I don't have a specific one, but I lived with fantastic guys all four years in college and I still keep in contact with them to this day. My time living in community in college is a perfect illustration of Proverbs 27:17: "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
- Meaningful verse of Scripture: Colossians 1:28 "We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ."
- Family: Renee and I met at the end of our freshmen year of college and we were married in 2002. Jonathan joined us in 2005 and Gabriel came along in 2008.
- Education: B.A. in Information Systems, Theology & Church Education from Trinity Christian College; M.Div. in Youth and Family Ministries from Denver Seminary
Secretary for the Office of Residence Life
731.661.5432
Box 1806
cclarke@uu.edu
- Hobbies: I love to cook anything and everything, but especially desserts! I also love being outside, hanging out with my husband and our friends, and reading a good book.
- Favorite Season: Like everyone else, fall-cool weather, gorgeous trees, and of course Alabama football!!
- Meaningful Verse: "The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith." 1 Timothy 1:5
- Family: I met my husband, Josh, at a Union Preview Day my senior year of high school. We didn't start dating until my sophomore year and got married after I graduated. Josh is the Director of Pharmacy Outreach for Union's School of Pharmacy and is the pastor of Spring Creek Baptist Church. We love the opportunity to serve in the local church, especially the relationships that we are able to have with the college students attending and serving in our church.
- Education: B.A. in Teaching English as a Second Language and Psychology from Union University
Heritage Staff
Residence Director, Heritage Residence Complex
731.661.5012
Box 441
esimmons@uu.edu
- Hobbies: In my spare time, I love being physically active whether its running, going on hikes and walks, or playing various sports. I am a Zumba instructor and a bluegrass fiddle player. I also enjoy cooking, soap-making, going to coffee with friends, board games, hanging out and exciting adventures!
- Favorite Scripture: Isaiah 60:1 Arise now and shine for your light has come.
- Education: I graduated from Baylor University in 2008 with a Major in Communications and Minor in Religion.
- Family: After graduation, I moved back to my hometown, Lynchburg, Virginia where I met and married my husband Joe. Joe and I moved to Jackson in January 2011 so he could begin the Nurse Anesthesia Program at Union! I am also taking classes working toward my Master's of Education.
Assistant Residence Director, Heritage Residence Complex
731.661.5683
Box 440
jrussell@uu.edu
- Hobbies: I love to do anything related to sports, especially basketball. I grew up in MA so I am a huge Celtics fan. I also really like going to the movies, and just watching movies in general.
- Favorite Season: Fall of course, isn't it everyones?
- Meaningful Verses: "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me." Psalm 51:10-12
- Favorite thing about working in Res Life: Well its obviously working with the students. Res life creates such a unique opportunity to meet and spend time with students. As a staff member I love that my whole job centers around getting to know the students, and helping them navigate through college life. Res life completely turned my life around in college, and my hope is that we can be there for students like Res life was there for me.
- Education: B.A. in History with a minor in English from Palm Beach Atlantic University.
Female Quads Staff
Residence Director, Female Quads
731.661.5148
Box 443
ajackson@uu.edu
- Favorite Season: My favorite season has to be fall. Growing up in Florida, I was not able to experience seasonal changes because it is always hot! From mid September to late November I am outside with my children or students enjoying the crisp air or admiring the leaves changing. Seeing these amazing colors brings me great delight and allows me to reflect on the beauty of His Creation.
- Favorite thing about UU: There are many things I could say about Union, but if I had to pick my favorite it would be the community. People-focused, one of Union's core values, is reflected in the community of believers who live, eat, work, study, and play together. Students can identify Union's Christ-centered, People-focused community efforts from residence complexes to professors' home.
- Hobby(s): Weekends in the fall are defined by watching Florida Gator football with my family. Outside of football season, I enjoy scrapbooking life's memories for my children, and teaching Kindermusik.
- Family: I am blessed to have a wonderful husband, Ernie, whom I met while attending Union University. Ernie and I have the joy of serving and living among students with our two boys, Clark and Matthew. Our boys have a once in a lifetime privilege of growing up on a college campus and having incredible male spiritual role models.
- Education: Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Union University; Masters of Arts in Education with an emphasis in Curriculum and Instruction from Union University (in process)
Assistant Residence Director, Female Quads
731.661.5684
Box 1806
kwells@uu.edu
- How did you get to UU? In high school I skipped my senior prom to instead visit Union for the first time. After spending one weekend on campus meeting students, staying in the residence complexes and through conversations with my enrollment counselor I knew Union was where the Lord had me. After graduating from Union in 2008, within a year I moved back to the Jackson area and knew I had a passion and love for Union and desired to again be a part of this community.
- Favorite season: Fall! I am from beautiful East Tennessee and there is nothing better than driving home during fall to see the trees full of vibrant colors.
- Favorite food: I love, love lasagna. It has to be homemade though. I also love warm, gooey brownies with vanilla bean ice cream. Yum, yum!!
- Favorite residence life memories from college: As a student I had the opportunity to serve in residence life as a Resident Advisor (RA) and Resident Staff Advisor (RSA). My favorite memories are centered around the students in my building and the conversations held with them as well as the daily ministry opportunities this position provided.
- Family: I am married to my wonderful husband, Brody, whom I met while working a summer camp. Brody teaches Algebra at Haywood High School and coaches football at the Junior High. Together we love getting to know students, playing sports or any new fun game, being outside, as well as hosting people in our home.
- Education: B.S. in Psychology and Family Studies from Union University
Male Quads Staff
Residence Director, Male Quads
731.661.5020
Box 442
lpruett@uu.edu
- Favorite part about being on Res. life staff: I love being a Resident Director, it definitely meets me in my sweet spot. I'm a huge nerd and fan of the academy, I love being around knowledge particularly in a Christ-centered environment like Union. I also am passionate about God's call to young college guys to become men who passionately pursue things of Him. This job therefore allows me to do everything from playing frisbee with guys on the lawn, to attending lectures with students, to helping in administratively directing our brilliantly built Quads. Once again, I love my job and am a huge fan of the guys whom I serve.
- Favorite food: If it's local, I'm in.
- Historical Hero(s): William Wilberforce and Dietrich Bonheoffer, for choosing to pursue faith and action within community. They each personified Christ's call to be salt and light and literally gave their lives for the cause of justice.
- Favorite Season: You cannot beat a Tennessee fall anywhere.
- Meaningful verse of scripture: 1 Thessalonians 2:8 We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.
- Family: I am the husband of my beautiful wife April Leigh. She's my present day hero.
- Education: B.A. in English with a minor in Philosophy and Ethics from Union University.
Assistant Resident Director, Male Quads
Intramural Coordinator
731.661.5510
Box 444
bapennington@uu.edu
- How did you get to UU? I graduated from UU in May 2007. My four years at UU were transformational, and Residence life was a huge part of that. This made coming back to work here such an easy transition!
- Favorite Season: Fall, because it is a great time to play sports. Not too hot, and not too cold.
- Favorite Books: The Case for Faith, Crash Proof
- Meaningful verse of Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.
- Family: I am married to Claire Pennington. We met at Union and got married June of 08'. Currently Claire is in her final semester pursuing a Special Education degree.
- Education: B.S. in Management with a minor in Marketing from Union University
Bryan Carrier
Ken Litscher
Courtney Clarke
Elle Simmons
Jarad Russell
Ashley Jackson
Kristin Wells
Luke Pruett
Blake Pennington
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