Meet Our Staff

The entire Residence Life staff works with and for residents to create an environment conducive to personal growth and academic achievement.

Directors of Residence Life
Directors of Residence Life (DRL) are professional staff who oversee Residence Life. The directors have been selected on the basis of educational background, experience in residence life and an interest in and concern for people. There are two directors focusing on different aspects of Residence Life: residential education, community standards, housing, and operations.

Residence Life Office and Card Services Coordinator
The Residence Life Office and Card Services Coordinator works with the Directors and the University to provide support and access to the Hardrocker community.  The coordinator assists with meal plans, registration, housing contracts, and administrative responsibilities.

Area Coordinator
The Area Coordinators (AC) are professional staff who oversee multiple areas of Residence Life. The ACs are responsible for their assigned residence halls through supervision of student staff, administration of the halls, and dealing with violations of university policy. Their primary focus, however, is meeting student needs, developing student responsibility and the overall welfare of the hall community. The ACs are available to help  with personal and group problems; and, as they reside in the community, they often handle emergency situations.

Assistant Area Coordinators 
Each residence hall area has an Assistant Area Coordinator (AAC).  The AAC is a student with at least one year of experience in Residence Life. The AAC are considered the experts of their communities and provides supervisory support and management of their residential area.

Resident Advisors
Resident Advisors (RA) are student staff of South Dakota Mines who live on each wing/floor with their fellow residents and receive special training to assist residents in a variety of ways. RAs main goal is to create a positive, healthy community for students to live, learn, and grow.

Residential Tutors
Residential Tutors (formally known as Residential Peer Mentors) are student staff employed to help students succeed academically.  Residential Tutors hold office hours, tutoring sessions, and academically-focused programs to help students succeed at South Dakota Mines.

Support Staff
Residence Life staff also includes summer crew, maintenance personnel, and custodial staff.

Fall 2022 Central & Senior Staff

Central Staff

Bryce Nussbaum - Bryce.Nussbaum@sdsmt.edu
Director, Residential Education & Community Standards

Katie Wahls - Kathryn.Wahls@sdsmt.edu
Director, Housing & Operations

Teresa Million - Teresa.Million@sdsmt.edu
Residence Life Office & Card Services Coordinator

Nathan Williams - Nathan.Williams@sdsmt.edu
Area Coordinator, Peterson & Placer Halls

Senior Staff

Madeline Vagts - Madeline.Vagts@sdsmt.edu
Palmerton Hall Assistant Area Coordinator

Mitch Carolan - Mitchell.Carolan@sdsmt.edu
Placer Hall Assistant Area Coordinator

Lyv Krueger - Alyvia.Krueger@sdsmt.edu
Connolly Hall Assistant Area Coordinator 

Serenity Engel - Serenity.Engel@sdsmt.edu
Rocker Square Apartments Assistant Area Coordinator

Ben Lewis - Benjamin.D.Lewis@sdsmt.edu
Howard Peterson Hall Assistant Area Coordinator

Fall 2022 Resident Advisors & Residential Peer Mentors

Peterson Hall

Eleanor & Thane - First Floor Community
Anya, Ari, & Gabe - Second Floor Exploring Rapid City and Beyond Interest Community
Andrew, Caleb, & Josh - Third Floor Outdoor Pursuits Interest Community  

Eli Gibbs - Eli.Gibbs@mines.sdsmt.edu
Residential Peer Mentor

Palmerton Hall

Corbin & Luke- First Floor Community
Katie & Lexi - Second Floor Community
Colton & Trevin - Third Floor Community
Austin & Fernando  -  Fourth Floor Community
Scotty & Toby - Fifth Floor Community  

Asher Eskam - Asher.Eskam@mines.sdsmt.edu
Residential Peer Mentor

Connolly Hall

Ike & Trinity - First Floor Community
Elise & Jacob - Second Floor Community
Andrew & Clayton - Third Floor Community  

Asher Eskam - Asher.Eskam@mines.sdsmt.edu
Residential Peer Mentor

Rocker Square Apartments

Rocker Square I
Chami - First and Second Floor Communities  
Travis - Third and Fourth Floor Communities  
Claire - Fifth and Sixth Floor Communities

Rocker Square II
Kevin - First and Second Floor Communities  
Regan - Third and Fourth Floor Communities  
Derek - Fifth and Sixth Floor Communities

Placer Hall

Danni -  Fourth Floor Community
Connor - Fifth Floor Community
Ryleigh - Sixth Floor Community

Isaiah Thurman - Isaiah.Thurman@mines.sdsmt.edu
Residential Peer Mentor