The members of the Class of 2016 aren't the only new faces on campus this fall. Arielle Diggs and Nicole Hesson have joined the Dean's Office as its two new graduate assistants. The office is also welcoming back a familiar face in a new role: Franklyn Cantor '12 has returned to campus as the new coordinator of Residential Life.

Diggs and Hesson, who are both pursuing Ed.D. degrees in higher education administration at Temple University, are replacing Michael Elias and Latoya Johnson, the College's first graduate assistants, who completed their two-year assignment on campus in June. The new graduate assistants will, as their predecessors did, live at the Haverford College Apartments, work 15 hours a week in the Student Activities Office, sit on some committees and spend alternate weekends and evenings on call as the point person for Campus Safety.

"My job as a graduate assistant is to utilize the extensive resources made available at Haverford and transfer them into exciting opportunities for everyone," says Diggs.

The graduate assistants, says Senior Associate Dean of the College and Dean of Student Life Steven Watter,“have taken on important responsibilities in the area of emergency response and have enhanced our emergency on-call coverage tremendously. They live on campus and can respond almost immediately to assist as necessary in emergent situations.”

“I would like the students to know that we are here as a resource,” says Hesson.“They shouldn't be afraid to come talk to us about ideas, concerns, or questions they might have.”

Cantor, who graduated from Haverford in May, returns to his alma mater as a staff member tasked with assisting Director of Residential Life Marianne Smith (or Smitty, as she's known around campus) in the planning and administration of all the College's housing programs. This includes the opening, closing and maintaining of the residence halls, facilitating housing assignments and room draws and serving as a resource for students and families.

“This position offers an opportunity to reinvest all of my experience living and working at Haverford into the work that I do,” says Cantor.“I aim to be an accessible resource for students, assisting in making their Haverford experience more enjoyable.”

“Having another staff member whose energies are devoted to the critical area [of Residential Life] will allow us to address issues and enhance programs that have had to be put on the back burner for lack of staff resources and time,” says Watter of Cantor's newly created position.“Franklyn was one of the most involved and effective student leaders with whom I have had the pleasure of working during my time here. He is bright, engaging and easy to work with, [and] I am confident he will bring these qualities as well as his intimate knowledge of things Haverford to take our residential life program to the next level.”